Candidates raise their hands and repeat the oath of allegiance that makes their citizenship official during a naturalization ceremony at Gunston Hall on June 12. (Staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)
Fifty new citizens took an oath of allegiance to the U.S. last week during a naturalization ceremony held at a founding father’s home 250 years to the day that Virginia adopted his seminal prelude to the Declaration of Independence.
As part of two days of “Declaration Day” festivities, citizens from 17 different countries on Friday (June 12) raised their right hands and promised to “support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States” on the grounds of Gunston Hall, once owned by George Mason, who wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
After a contentious debate, the Fairfax County School Board will give parents the opportunity to opt out of take-home laptops and tablets in the upcoming school year and study stronger screen limits and restrictions.
At its meeting Thursday (June 11), the board discussed restrictions on screen time and school-provided devices for students amid local, regional and national pushback against technology in classrooms, particularly in elementary schools.
Address:1114 Ware Street SW Neighborhood: Vienna Woods Type: 7 BR, 5 (+1 half) BA single-family detached – 4844 sq. ft. Open House: Saturday, June 27th, 12-2 pm Listed: $1,999,999
Noteworthy: Resort-Inspired Custom Home Minutes from Downtown Vienna
Exceptional luxury custom home in the highly sought-after Vienna Woods community. Built in 2023, this stunning Craftsman-style residence sits on a quiet 0.29-acre lot and offers 4,844 square feet of thoughtfully designed living space with 7 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms.
The elegant interior features soaring ceilings, hardwood flooring, designer lighting, and an open-concept layout ideal for modern living and entertaining. A spacious dining room flows seamlessly into the family room, while the gourmet chef’s kitchen impresses with premium cabinetry, high-end appliances, a large center island, double sinks, and a bright breakfast area with direct backyard access. A main-level bedroom with an en-suite bath provides flexibility for guests or multi-generational living.
Upstairs, the luxurious owner’s suite offers dual walk-in closets and a spa-inspired bath with double vanities, a soaking tub, and a custom-tiled walk-in shower. Three additional bedrooms and two full baths, including a Jack-and-Jill bathroom, complete the upper level. The fully finished lower level adds exceptional versatility with a spacious recreation room, gym/bedroom, bonus room, and an additional bedroom with an en-suite bath. Outdoor living is equally impressive. The private backyard retreat features a swimming pool with a modern retractable cover for year-round enjoyment, a pool house with a recreation area, kitchenette, and full bath, plus a spacious patio and fenced yard. Ideally located near Southside Park, Yeonas Park, downtown Vienna, the W&OD Trail, Tysons Corner, Metro access, and within the highly rated Madison High School pyramid.
A real estate sign announces that a house for sale in Vienna is under contract (file photo)
A combination of more sales and higher average prices pushed Fairfax County’s real estate sales volume up 17% year-over-year in May, according to new data.
A total of 1,427 residential properties went to closing last month, up 11.7% from 1,278 in May 2025, according to figures that MarketStats by ShowingTime reported June 10 based on data from Bright MLS.
Shoppers browse booths at the Clifton Farmers’ Market at 12644 Chapel Road (staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)
Va. House Releases Budget Proposal — “Budget leaders in the Virginia House of Delegates announced a new roughly $74 billion spending plan during a Friday morning press conference in Richmond … Most of the new funding is dedicated to public education while preserving the sales tax exemption for data centers, which the Senate proposed nixing.” [VPM News]
Trump Admin Sues Va. Over ICE Laws — “The Trump administration is suing Virginia over new state laws surrounding immigration enforcement, including one that bans U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing masks … On Thursday, June 11, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit challenging these new laws, calling them unconstitutional.” [WRIC]
Fairfax Residents Moving to Richmond — “Migration data released by the Internal Revenue Service (which tracks where people file their tax returns) shows an uptick in the number of people moving out of Fairfax County and into the Richmond metro. The data also shows a smaller, but still significant trend: The Roanoke Valley now attracts more new residents from Fairfax County than it loses to the state’s most populous county.” [Cardinal News]
Amazon Eyes Distribution Site in Tysons — “Amazon.com Inc. is expected to bring its new 30-minute delivery option to Tysons and Arlington as the competition to provide the speediest distribution heats up among the world’s largest online retailers.” The company is seeking multiple permits to build out “an 8,450-square-foot industrial storefront sandwiched between Tyco Road and the Dulles Access Road,” possibly for its Amazon Now delivery service for groceries and “household essentials.” [Washington Business Journal]
Assistant Police Chief Leaving — “Assistant Chief Brooke Wright will retire from the Fairfax County Police Department after almost three decades of service, leadership, and commitment to public safety. She has been appointed Assistant Chief with the Wilmington Police Department in North Carolina, where she will continue her law enforcement career.” [FCPD]
Spanberger Defends Vetoes — “The pushback has exposed ideological and procedural tensions inside Virginia’s Democratic Party at a moment when lawmakers had hoped to capitalize on full control of Richmond after years of divided government. Spanberger, however, rejects the idea that her vetoes reflect dysfunction or political drift.” [Virginia Mercury]
First Varsity Girls’ Wrestlers Head to College — “Two years later, Fairfax County made girls’ varsity wrestling a new sports option. MacKay was eager to join and did, becoming part of a cohort of first-ever team members across the Northern Virginia suburb. Now, MacKay and two other students who were part of the inaugural teams have been recruited to compete in college.” [WTOP]
Madison Girls Win Lacrosse State Title — “The Madison High School girls lacrosse team can finally put last season’s state runner-up finish behind them. On Saturday, the Warhawks held off Battlefield 11-9 in the Class 6 state final at Briar Woods High School in Ashburn to claim a state title they almost captured a year ago.” [Inside NoVA]
New Legal Notice — On-premises beer and wine license application; objections within 30 days. [Public Notices]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies with a high near 80 degrees and a northwest wind blowing at 9 to 11 mph, with gusts reaching up to 20 mph. Monday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 60 degrees and a northwest wind at 5 to 8 mph. [NWS]
The George Mason Friends will hold their semi-annual Fall Book Sale at George Mason Regional Library, 7001 Little River Turnpike, Annandale from Wednesday evening, September 23 through Sunday, September 27, 2026.
A Preview Sale will be held on Wednesday evening from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm for a $20 entry fee per adult. A no entry fee, General Sale, will begin on Thursday, September 23 and run through Sunday, September 27, with hours 10:00 am to 5:30 pm daily.
Expect sunny weather with temperatures reaching a high of around 87°F and a northwest wind at approximately 6 mph. Saturday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to about 67°F and light, variable winds. See more from Weather.gov.
We hope you have a great weekend! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋
Storm-related power outages in Fairfax County around 7:50 p.m. on June 12, 2026 (via Dominion Energy)
More than 21,200 Dominion Energy customers in Fairfax County have reported losing power as a result of thunderstorms currently passing through the region.
As of 8 p.m., the majority of outages are focused in the eastern part of the county, though some in the Fair Oaks area have also been affected, according to Dominion’s outage map. In most cases, the utility hasn’t determined an estimated time of restoration yet.
Marshall High School students at FIRST World Robotics Championship (via FCPS)
Fairfax County supervisors on Tuesday (June 9) honored students from robotics teams at two schools for participation in recent international competition.
A cyclist crosses Cedar Lane on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in Dunn Loring (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Local and state transportation planners hope to provide some additional protection to users of the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail with a new safety initiative.
If approved by the Virginia Department of Transportation, the initiative will add high-visibility stop signs at nine trail intersections in Fairfax County, according to NOVA Parks, which owns the 45-mile-long regional park and is supporting the proposal.
New Braddock Road near Centre Ridge Elementary School in Centreville (Staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)
A proposed amendment to Fairfax County’s comprehensive plan that could transform Centreville over the next few decades gained a key endorsement from the county’s planning commission this week.
The commission voted Wednesday (June 10) to recommend adoption of the amendment, which envisions a more walkable 2,700-acre area with a defined “town center,” more affordable and mixed-use housing, and enhanced public transportation.
