Though 2026 is only a week old, Tysons Corner Center has already welcomed one new business, while bidding temporary adieu to an old one.
Bora Bora Smoothie Cafe made its D.C.-area debut with a soft opening last Saturday (Jan. 3), more than a year after signs announcing that it would be “opening soon” first appeared.
An end to Fairfax County Public Schools’ first district-wide boundary overhaul in four decades is within sight, though the approval of new maps is unlikely to resolve all questions.
Superintendent Michelle Reid’s final recommendations for the revised boundaries have been released ahead of a presentation to the Fairfax County School Board tonight (Thursday) and a public hearing that will be held at Luther Jackson Middle School this Saturday (Jan. 10) at 10 a.m.
At Kokua, we believe that every stage of life holds possibilities for creativity, purpose, and growth. Located in the heart of Tysons, Virginia, Kokua offers a fresh, hospitality-driven approach to care developed by Mather, a nationally recognized pioneer in the senior living space with more than eight decades of experience. Newly opened in 2025, Kokua blends care with our research-driven approach to deliver personalized wellness tailored to individual needs.
For a limited time, Kokua is welcoming new residents seeking assisted living or memory support in the DC area with exclusive move-in incentives. Nestled in a lively urban neighborhood, our LEED-Gold certified community incorporates biophilic design that brings the outside in to enhance health and wellbeing.
In our assisted living and memory support neighborhoods, residents enjoy a collection of thoughtfully designed spaces that feel like an upscale hospitality destination.
Multiple restaurants offer chef-prepared cuisine with flexible, open-hours service, complemented by demonstration kitchens, art and music studios, as well as gathering spaces. A spacious outdoor terrace, Marzenia Salon, and beautifully appointed amenity areas create opportunities for wellness, connection, and everyday enjoyment.
Residents enjoy opportunities to choose from enriching programs, meaningful social opportunities with experiences such as sensory walks, meditation, acupuncture, Reiki, songwriting workshops, poetry readings, Sensory Symphony Swim, and more.
Ādar means “respect”, and Kokua delivers. Here, our team encourages residents to be as independent as possible, for as long as possible. Each one-bedroom apartment home (ranging in size up to nearly 900 square feet) offers generous space and thoughtful design, complemented by assistance with daily living tasks and emergency response systems for peace of mind.
Miran means “peaceful”—another pillar in the Kokua way of life. Private suites are designed for those with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or similar cognitive conditions. Our person-centered approach embraces individual strengths and needs, with an interdisciplinary team and through social events, wellness programs, creative arts, and more.
Kokua offers the next generation of care in Ādar and Miran, true to our commitment to highly personalized service rooted in respect for each individual.
With a limited number of residences available and exclusive move-in incentives currently offered, now is an ideal time to explore the personalized care and quiet luxury that Kokua at The Mather has to offer.
Contact us today if you’re interested in learning more, download our brochure at www.themathertysons.com/kokua. You can reach us at kokua@themathertysons.com or (571) 282.3650.
Virginia U.S. Attorney Challenged — “A federal judge Tuesday ordered Trump ally Lindsey Halligan to explain why she continues to call herself the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia even though another judge determined in November that she had been unlawfully appointed to the position.” [NBC News]
Bill Would Restrict National Guard Deployments — “Virginia lawmakers are proposing a plan that would allow them to review any federal deployment of the state’s National Guard members … The bill would prohibit the Commonwealth’s National Guard from being used to interfere in an election and ensure there’s a legal review of any deployment. It also requires information about how deployments are funded, Del. Dan Helmer said.” [WTOP]
Falls Church Could Introduce Ranked-Choice Voting — “Falls Church will be able to hold ranked-choice City Council elections as early as 2027, if current Council members want to make the switch. The city is on track to acquire new voting equipment that would accommodate the ranked-choice format in time for the 2027 elections, city elections director David Bjerke told the Falls Church Electoral Board on Monday.” [ARLnow]
Lawmakers Seek to Update Social Services Tech — “Social services staffers around Virginia have for years grappled with outdated technology and are now preparing for extra workloads … House Bill 66 by Del. Michael Feggans, D-Virginia Beach, would direct the Department of Medical Assistance Services and the Department of Social Services to modernize the information technology they use to provide social and medical programs to Virginians.” [Virginia Mercury]
Rep. Walkinshaw on Goals for New Year — Rep. James Walkinshaw, who was elected to represent Virginia’s 11th Congressional District last fall, cites the Jan. 30 deadline to pass a new federal budget as the “biggest challenge” facing Congress at the start of 2026. He also says “the health care affordability issue is very real and very urgent … so we’ve got to find a way to deal with that.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Drunk Driving Prevention Program Hits Milestone — SoberRide, which gives free rides during holidays to discourage impaired driving, has now served more than 100,000 people since it launched in 1991. Washington Regional Alcohol Program, the Tysons-based nonprofit that operates the initiative, says 1,446 people used SoberRide for last week’s New Year’s holiday alone. [Inside NoVA]
‘Queer Eye’ Reboot Ends With D.C.-Area Season — “Alexandria was home to the reality TV show ‘Queer Eye’ last summer as the Fab Five filmed their tenth and final season in the D.C. area. The Netflix show held its production headquarters in a warehouse at Van Dorn Station during a five-week shoot from late June to August 2025, Visit Alexandria spokesperson Allison O’Keefe told ALXnow.” [ALXnow]
New Legal Notice — Restaurant seeks state alcohol license; objections due in 30 days. [Public Notices]
It’s Thursday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high temperature near 53 degrees and light, variable winds. Moving into Thursday night, the skies will become mostly cloudy with a low around 40 degrees, accompanied by a southeast wind blowing at 3 to 6 mph. [NWS]
Mental health shapes how we lead, love, work, parent, communicate, and show up in the world—yet too often, these conversations stay hidden.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, join local nonprofit Rock Recovery for Strength Not Stigma—an unforgettable evening of honest conversation, community, and impact.
For the second time in one day, Fairfax County police are investigating a pedestrian death resulting from a hit-and-run crash.
Officers responded around 9:48 p.m. Wednesday (Jan. 7) to Richmond Highway at Mount Eagle Drive in Huntington after a pedestrian was reportedly struck by at least four vehicles.
Fil-Am Spring Fest 2026 is a free Filipino-American cultural festival hosted by Fil-Am FEST Inc. on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, Virginia.
The festival celebrates Filipino culture, heritage, food, music, dance, small businesses, and community connection. Guests can enjoy cultural performances, Filipino food vendors, family-friendly activities, artisan and retail vendors, community partner booths, and nonprofit initiatives.
Good Wednesday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Jan 7, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Thursday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Expect patchy fog from 8am to 9am, followed by mostly sunny skies and a high near 53. The calm wind will shift to the south at about 5 mph in the afternoon. For Thursday night, the sky will be mostly cloudy and have a low temperature around 40, accompanied by a south wind at 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
A national apparel and textile distributor has leased approximately 95,600 square feet of warehouse space at the historic Robinson Terminal property in Springfield.
The transaction “stands as one of Northern Virginia’s largest industrial lease commitments this past year,” according to George Boosalis, principal broker of Boosalis Properties, which represented the tenant for the lease at 7201 Wimsatt Road.
With its first exhibit of the new year, Reston Art Gallery and Studios is turning its attention to a subject close to home: Lake Anne Plaza.
The gallery at 11400 Washington Plaza West, Suite B, will unveil the new exhibition “Art of Lake Anne” tomorrow (Thursday), showcasing interpretations of Reston’s original village center from nine different local artists.
A new eatery at Tysons Galleria is catering to diners who crave staples of Thai cuisine but don’t have the time to eat a full, sit-down meal.
Bird’s Eye Thai, a relatively new concept from the team behind Reston’s Tiki Thai, opened just over a month ago on Dec. 6 in the mall’s third-floor food court, taking the place of the recently relocated Empanadas de Mendoza.
Two candidates seeking to be the Fairfax County School Board’s next Braddock District representative made their cases to local Democrats in an online forum on Monday (Jan. 5) ahead of this weekend’s endorsement caucus.
Both Tom Dannan and Alexa Krezel are vying to succeed Rachna Sizemore Heizer, who was elected to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors late last year.
