News

As construction progresses on the first mixed-use development to emerge north of the Herndon Metro station, the town has finalized guidelines for signage to identify that project and those that follow.

The Herndon Town Council voted unanimously and without discussion on May 26 to adopt a zoning ordinance amendment with a sign plan for the Herndon Transit-Oriented Core (HTOC), an approximately 38-acre area on the north side of the Metro station, bounded by Van Buren Street, Herndon Parkway and the Dulles Toll Road.


Around Town

The former Velocity Wings at University Mall has reopened under a reimagined concept, offering the restaurant’s staple chicken wings and a broader lineup of American comfort foods.

Velocity Bar + Kitchen is now open at 10697 Braddock Road, reflecting the business’ evolution “into a more expansive, full-service dining experience while continuing to serve the signature wings guests know and love,” according to a press release from hospitality group Thompson Restaurants.


Around Town

A new exhibit is opening at Fort Hunt’s Nepenthe Gallery, highlighting artwork by a variety of Black artists.

The “Important, Inspiring & Joyful Artworks by Black Artists” exhibition will open at the gallery in Hollin Hall Shopping Center (7918 Fort Hunt Road) with an ‘ART+WINE+CHEESE’ event on Thursday, June 4, and run through July 15.


News

A man hospitalized this morning (Tuesday) following a two-vehicle crash that occurred outside Chantilly Bible Church has now died, the Fairfax County Police Department announced.

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department was dispatched to Pleasant Valley Road at Cub Run Road for the crash at around 8:38 a.m., according to scanner traffic.


Event

It’s time to get festive. In partnership with Angelika Film Center, the Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan is rolling into Mosaic to kick off the season! Take photos with the iconic Coca-Cola Polar Bear and see the truck before it heads to the next stop on its nationwide tour.

Catch Elf on the big screen, enjoy kids activities and face painting, send a letter to Santa and soak up all the festive fun!


News

The now-annual battle over whether Fairfax County should have a casino is over for 2026, but as some local elected officials and community leaders see it, a larger tug-of-war with the state for control over development decisions has begun.

Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman, former state Del. Kathleen Murphy, and other Fairfax County advocates have launched a nonprofit called Communities First VA that’s dedicated to protecting the authority of local government and giving residents “a stronger voice in decisions that shape their communities,” according to a press release shared first with FFXnow.


Countywide

About 30 people gathered at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Chantilly on Sunday (May 31) to protest the expansion of immigration detentions in the U.S. and to show support for those detained inside the building.

Holding American flags and homemade signs, the group outside ICE’s Washington Field Office at 14797 Murdock Street read aloud a list of people who had died in ICE custody, then sang “No están solos” (Spanish for “they are not alone”), followed by refrains of “none of us are free until all of us are free,” and “together we will abolish ICE.”


News

Fairfax High School’s response to reports that a student was groping female peers was fully consistent with Fairfax County Public Schools protocols for handling sexual misconduct, Superintendent Michelle Reid says.

FCPS hired an outside law firm in March to conduct a review of how staff and administrators handled the complaints against 18-year-old Israel Flores Ortiz after multiple parents of victims told WJLA that they felt the school had “diminished” their children’s experiences and “attempted to sweep it under the rug.”


Countywide
A man sitting on a bench in shade outside Japomen at the Shops at Avenir Place in Merrifield (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Special Session Set on State Budget — “Virginia lawmakers are set to return to Richmond this month for another attempt to reach a budget deal, with just days until the start of the new fiscal year and no agreement yet on the state’s next two-year spending plan.” The lack of an approved budget has left school systems in limbo. [Virginia Mercury]

Driver in Deadly Bus Crash Had Prior Speeding Ticket — “The bus driver who faces charges after five people were killed in a chain-reaction crash on I-95 in Stafford County, Virginia, was scheduled to appear in court this week for a speeding ticket, court records say.” The driver had been ticketed by Maryland State Police on March 6 for allegedly driving 72 mph in a 50-mph zone. [NBC4]

Questions About Data Center Water Discharge — “Most data centers in Virginia are permitted to discharge water into municipal wastewater systems, the same place household water goes to be treated and recycled for consumption. But there’s limited data tracking of potential chemicals in data centers’ discharge water.” [Virginia Mercury]

Reston Contractor Subleases RTC Space — “Bechtel Corp. continues to grow its Reston headquarters footprint, subleasing nearly 55,000 square feet … at BXP Inc.’s Democracy Tower, 11955 Democracy Drive. That equals two full floors of the nine-story, 230,000-square-foot office.” The addition will expand Bechtel’s footprint at Reston Town Center to nearly 350,000 square feet. It’s unclear which tenant is leasing the space, but AOL indicated it would lay off 108 people based in the building. [Washington Business Journal]

Plug-in Solar Coming to Virginia — “Thanks to new state laws, Maryland and Virginia residents will be allowed to use plug-in ‘balcony’ collar systems with a maximum output of 1,200 watts. Marylanders can take advantage as soon as today, while Virginia’s law goes into effect on January 1, 2027.” [Washingtonian]

Volunteers Help Clean Up Culmore — “If the Culmore area of Bailey’s Crossroads is looking a lot nicer, it’s because nearly 70 volunteers – including adults, children, and youths – spent Saturday morning collecting trash around the neighborhood … The Culmore Cleanup was organized by Andres Curtin, strategy director for Crossroads Opportunity Neighborhoods at Second Story.” [Annandale Today]

Latvian Band Making U.S. Debut in Reston — “Big Al & The Jokers, a nine-piece band from Europe, will make its U.S. debut June 5 and 6 at Reston Town Center Pavilion. The concerts are part of the Reston Concerts on the Town series and are scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. each night.” [Patch]

Annandale Dessert Shop Draws Lines — “Pasha Castle in Annandale just celebrated its grand opening. But lines are already forming in the cute two-story red house that holds it. Guests will find hot mini pancakes and Middle Eastern and Turkish treats such as baklava, knafeh and lokum (Turkish delight) on offer. The star of the show, however, is the booza,” described by an employee as “Lebanese gelato.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies with temperatures reaching a high of around 75°F and northeast winds blowing at 7 to 9 mph. Tuesday night will be mostly clear with a low temperature near 57°F and a gentle north wind. [NWS]

Want more local news? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow, with the latest from across the region.


Around Town

Good Monday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Jun 1, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Tuesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

☀️ Tuesday’s forecast

Expect sunny weather with a high near 75°F and northeast winds blowing at 5 to 7 mph. In the evening, conditions will be mostly clear with a low around 55°F, accompanied by a northwest wind at 3 to 5 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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.