Around Town

Good Thursday 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 — Aug 13, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

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

⛈️ Friday’s forecast

There is a 30% chance of showers and possible thunderstorms after 5 PM, with mostly cloudy skies and a high of 87°F. Winds will be calm, shifting northeast at about 5 mph. Friday night brings a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10 PM, then showers are possible again after 2 AM, with mostly cloudy conditions and a low of around 70°F. Winds will be light and variable. 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.


News

A Northern Virginia woman believes her dashcam and cell phone recordings of an encounter with masked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Bailey’s Crossroads on Monday (Aug. 10) saved her life.

Carolina Molina returned yesterday (Wednesday) near the site along Columbia Pike where an ICE agent drew his gun and pointed it at her to provide further details of the encounter, which made waves after she posted footage of it on Instagram.


Sponsored

For many Virginia homeowners, the family home is more than an asset. It’s where children grew up, memories were made, and decades of life unfolded. Placing your home in a trust can help protect that legacy while making things easier for your loved ones in the future.

A properly structured and funded trust may help avoid probate, provide continuity if you become unable to manage your affairs, and give your family clear instructions about what should happen to the home. Here’s what Virginia homeowners need to know.

Why Put Your Home in a Trust?

A trust can provide several important benefits:

  • Avoiding probate. If your home is properly transferred to a trust, your successor trustee can generally manage the property without waiting for the probate court to authorize routine decisions.
  • Planning for complex families. Trusts can provide specific instructions for blended families, stepchildren, or inherited property.
  • Privacy. Unlike a will, which generally becomes part of the public probate record, a trust is typically handled privately.
  • Planning for incapacity. If you become unable to manage your affairs, your successor trustee can step in to manage the home or other trust assets.
  • Greater flexibility. You can establish conditions for how and when beneficiaries receive an interest in the property.

A trust isn’t necessarily the right choice for every homeowner, however. The appropriate plan depends on your family, finances, property, and long-term goals.

Step 1: Choose the Right Trust

Virginia homeowners may use several types of trusts, including revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, testamentary trusts, special needs trusts, and charitable trusts.

For many homeowners who want to continue controlling and living in their home while simplifying the transfer after death, a revocable living trust may be appropriate. Other situations may call for a different type of trust.

The type of trust you choose can affect control of the property, taxes, creditor protection, and how the property is distributed.

Step 2: Choose the Right Trustee

The trustee manages the property and follows the instructions in the trust. With a revocable living trust, you can typically serve as your own trustee during your lifetime and name a successor trustee to take over if you become incapacitated or die.

Choose someone you trust to handle financial and property matters responsibly. Depending on your circumstances, that could be a family member, friend, or professional trustee.

Step 3: Create the Trust Document

The trust document identifies the person creating the trust, the trustee, the beneficiaries, and the rules governing the trust.

Because your trust should reflect your specific circumstances and comply with Virginia law, working with an experienced Virginia trust attorney can help avoid vague language, missing provisions, or other problems that could create confusion later.

Step 4: Sign and Notarize the Trust

Once the trust is drafted, you’ll sign the document according to the requirements of your estate plan. Notarization is generally recommended because it helps establish the authenticity of the document and can reduce the risk of challenges later.

Your attorney can make sure the signing process is completed properly.

(more…)


News

Gin Dance Company’s upcoming performance at Capital One Hall in Tysons will be its last.

Previously advertised as the launch of its 16th season, the Sept. 12 premiere of “Lightning” will instead serve as an unexpected swan song for the Reston-based arts organization after co-founders Shu-Chen and Gary Cuff announced yesterday (Wednesday) that they will wind down operations.


News

The man accused of killing Stephanie Minter earlier this year boarded and left a bus at the same time as her, then doubled back and stood behind her as she appeared to sit unaware at a Hybla Valley bus stop during the last minutes of her life, according to witness testimony and video footage.

Following hours of testimony and surveillance footage shown during a preliminary hearing in Fairfax County General District Court yesterday (Wednesday), the second-degree murder case against 33-year-old Abdul Jalloh was certified to a grand jury in Fairfax County Circuit Court.


Event

Join us on September 19, 2026 at 9:00 AM (Eastern Daylight Time) at 12000 Government Center Pkwy for Pender’s First Annual Angel Fund 5K!

This fun community event supports the Angel Fund at Pender Veterinary Centre, which helps pet owners in Northern Virginia cover unexpected veterinary costs when finances are tight. For over 50 years, Pender Veterinary Centre has been proud to care for pets and their families, and this 5K is all about bringing everyone together to celebrate that bond.


Countywide

Fairfax County is bringing back a popular program that provides free trees to community groups for planting on privately owned properties.

The county’s Urban and Community Forestry Division (UCFD) is currently accepting applications for its tree distribution program until Oct. 30, inviting any local community organization — from volunteer groups and civic associations to faith organizations and nonprofits — to participate.


News

The Herndon Town Council voted this week to authorize collective bargaining with officers in the town’s police department.

Unanimously passed on Tuesday (Aug. 11) with the exception of one absent member, the ordinance permits police employees to negotiate hourly wages and annual base salaries, and an advance pay program through a union.


Around Town

Blue Bottle Coffee has arrived at Tysons Corner Center.

The Oakland, California-based chain will open its first cafe in Virginia at the D.C. region’s largest mall at 9:30 a.m. today (Thursday), offering complimentary giveaways to the first 150 customers who stop by.


Countywide
A leaning sign for the Fairfax County Parkway Trail in the Franklin Farm area of Herndon (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

No Changes to Va. Vaccine Rules — “After President Donald Trump issued an order seeking more spaced out childhood vaccinations, the Virginia Department of Health joined other medical experts in backing the existing childhood vaccination schedule … VDH said the executive order does not change Virginia’s school immunization requirements, which include two doses each of measles and mumps shots and one rubella dose.” [ALXnow]

Task Force Deployed to Colombia — “Members of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue team landed in Bogotá, Colombia, on Wednesday to assist after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake rocked the area. A 10-person disaster coordination and structural engineering assessment team was deployed in support of the U.S. Department of State’s response to the disaster.” [WUSA9]

Herndon Man Charged With Kidnapping — “A Herndon man accused of abducting an acquaintance at knifepoint and leading police on a pursuit through three jurisdictions has been arrested on federal carjacking and kidnapping charges, court records show.” The man also still faces state-level charges related to robbery, domestic assault, reckless driving and driving without a license. [Patch]

Police Crack Down on Reptile Theft Ring — “Two men are facing charges in connection with an organized theft scheme that led to the theft of more than 60 reptiles from multiple stores in Maryland and Virginia … Fairfax Police first began looking into the thefts after officers were called to a Petco on Richmond Highway in Groveton on May 21. Officers learned two suspects walked into the store and stole four pythons from the reptile habitat.” [WUSA9]

Reston Media Analytics Firm Plans Layoffs — Comscore “is making ‘substantial’ headcount reductions, executive salary cuts and a possible decrease in its footprint” after reporting a net loss of $6.2 million in the first quarter of 2026. The company didn’t comment on how many workers will be affected overall or at its Reston headquarters, but pay cuts will include a 20% reduction to CEO Matt McLaughlin’s $625,000 base salary. [Washington Business Journal]

Regional Downturn in Public School Enrollment — Fairfax County, Prince William and Loudoun public schools all reported drops in student enrollment last year compared to the 2024-2025 and 2022-2023 academic years. “Declining birth rates, immigration and migration patterns and housing costs are all playing a role in fewer students enrolling in public schools, experts said.” [WTOP]

Advocates on Abortion Referendum — “As Virginians vote this fall on whether to put enshrine protections for abortion and other reproductive healthcare at the highest level — the state constitution — advocates on either side are presenting familiar, and newer, arguments on the issue.” [VPM News]

New Vietnamese Restaurant at Eden Center — “Restaurateur couple Thao Tran and Tin Truong want to add a slightly more upscale date-night spot to the mix” at the Falls Church retail hub. “Their new restaurant, Tam Tam Brunch and Dinner, has a trendy bistro vibe, with a menu spanning from a citrusy salmon crudo to abalone soup to a variety of hot pots.” [Washingtonian]

It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 90 degrees and a northwest wind blowing at 5 to 8 mph. During the night, the weather will be partly cloudy with temperatures dropping to around 72 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind at 3 to 5 mph. [NWS]

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Around Town

Good Wednesday 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 — Aug 12, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌤️ Thursday’s forecast

Mostly sunny with a high near 90°F and a gentle northwest wind at 6 to 8 mph. Thursday night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 72°F and a light northwest wind. 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.