Entrance to McLean Day 2025 (courtesy McLean Community Center)
McLean Day is always highly anticipated by local residents, drawing more than 10,000 attendees annually. But this year, the celebration will take on an extra-patriotic tenor with nods to the U.S.’s 250th birthday.
Set to return to Lewinsville Park (1659 Chain Bridge Road) on Saturday, May 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the annual festival will open its 111th year with a performance by the McLean Community Players — possibly a preview of their upcoming summer production of “1776,” the musical retelling of the Second Continental Congress and signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Updated design of Willard-Sherwood Health & Community Center (via City of Fairfax)
Fairfax County leaders have joined their Fairfax City counterparts in backing an overhaul of their adjacent health and community facilities.
The county’s Board of Supervisors ratified an agreement yesterday (Tuesday) with the Fairfax City Council to move forward with construction of a new $127.2 million Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center in the 3700 block of Blenheim Road in the City of Fairfax.
Pond near George Mason University’s Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Elevated Gas Prices Continue — “Virginia drivers are feeling more pressure at the gas pump. And fuel prices continue to rise. The average fuel cost in Virginia has risen to above $4 per gallon, according to AAA data. Prices are the highest they’ve been since late July 2022,” driven by the ongoing war in Iran. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Potomac Water Quality Improving After Spill — “Heading into the summer, environmental advocates are stressing the importance of continued water quality monitoring along the Potomac River, even as months of testing has shown E. coli levels are back to normal following January’s massive sewage spill.” [WTOP]
Va. Opposes USPS Gun Mailing Plan — “Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones on Tuesday joined 21 other states in opposing a proposed United States Postal Service rule that would allow certain firearms to be sent through the mail, warning the change could undermine state gun laws and make it easier for prohibited individuals to obtain weapons.” [Virginia Mercury]
Millions Dropped From SNAP Benefits — “At least 2.5 million low-income people quickly lost help affording groceries under a Republican-passed law that added new requirements for the nation’s largest nutrition program and shifted hundreds of millions of dollars in costs from the federal government to states, according to a study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.” [Maryland Matters]
Transmission Upgrades Slowing Energy Projects — “Costs and delays related to upgrading transmission infrastructure are blocking new power sources from getting onto the grid in Virginia, according to a new analysis … It found that 103 power plants in Virginia have withdrawn or been significantly delayed by network upgrade bottlenecks since 2018, mostly clean energy projects.” [VPM News]
Italian Restaurant Expanding to Herndon — “Exciting news for the team at a popular Italian restaurant in Loudoun County – they are expanding and opening a new location in Herndon … The owners of Urbano Modern Italian announced they will be bringing a new restaurant to the Woodland Park Crossing shopping center.” [The Burn]
Teacher Wins Lottery Jackpot — “A Fairfax County teacher won a $986,399 jackpot in the Virginia Lottery’s The Lamp: Dark Arts online game after deciding to play on his wife’s birthday, according to a Virginia Lottery press release. The winner, who was not identified, later told his wife during a walk that he had a gift for her,” calling the winnings “truly life changing.” [Patch]
Scholarships Awarded to Local Students — “Some of the students honored at the Hispanic Leadership Alliance awards ceremony on May 4 are the first in their families to go to college, others came to the U.S. alone, and some just learned English a couple of years ago.” The organization “presented $1,000 scholarships to 29 Fairfax County seniors at a banquet at the FCPS Willow Oaks Administrative Center.” [Annandale Today]
New Legal Notice — Restaurant seeks ABC license for wine and beer, on/off-premises. [Public Notices]
It’s Wednesday — There’s an 80% chance of rain with showers and possible thunderstorms likely after 5 pm, with a high near 77°F, and south winds at 15 mph, gusting up to 30 mph. At night, showers and possibly thunderstorms will continue. The low will be around 55°F. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
Expect showers and thunderstorms primarily before 3 p.m., with a high near 76°F and south winds of around 16 mph, gusting up to 31 mph. There’s an 80% chance of rain, with rainfall between a quarter and half an inch possible. Wednesday night will likely have showers, possibly including a thunderstorm after 11 p.m., with a low around 54°F. Winds will shift from west at 9 mph to north after midnight, and there’s an 80% chance of rain with new precipitation between a tenth and quarter of an inch, possibly higher in thunderstorms. See more from Weather.gov.
On Sunday, November 15 at 4:00 PM, the St. Andrew the Apostle Concert Series proudly presents The Catholic University of America Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Simeone Tartaglione, for a free afternoon of orchestral masterworks at St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church in Clifton.
Program: • Paul Dukas – The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, best known from Disney’s Fantasia! • Camille Saint-Saëns – Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor Soloist: Vasily Popov, cello • Camille Saint-Saëns – Symphony No. 3 in C minor, “Organ Symphony” Organist: Michael Murphy
Police and fire response to crash on Richmond Highway at Armistead Road in Lorton (via FCPD/X)
A motorcyclist suffered serious injuries in a collision with a dump truck this afternoon (Tuesday) on Richmond Highway in Lorton.
Police and the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were dispatched around 1:43 p.m. to Richmond Highway at Lorton Road near Gunston Plaza for a crash described initially as involving “an 18-wheeler,” according to scanner traffic.
A cyclist heading east on Jones Branch Drive in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
With the weather warming up, the Tysons Community Alliance (TCA) is encouraging local residents and workers to explore the area on two wheels instead of four.
For National Bike Month, the community development organization has launched a “Tysons Trek & Treat” challenge where commuters can win prizes for traveling via bike, walking, scooter or other methods of transportation that don’t involve sitting alone in a car.
A 25 mph speed limit sign in a residential neighborhood (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors formally adopted a fiscal year 2027 budget this morning (Tuesday), while also setting a future public hearing on local control of speed limits in some areas.
The board set a June 9 public hearing on a proposed ordinance that, if enacted, would give the county more autonomy to reduce speed limits in residential and business districts.
Signs for Lynn Street and Elden Street in downtown Herndon (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Herndon is going all-in on a “hot and cool” theme with its newest festival, where upbeat and mellow musical performances will be complemented by activities such as a snowball fight and jalapeno-eating contest.
“Polar Heat on Lynn Street,” a free, day-long event on Saturday, May 16 sponsored by the town’s Parks and Recreation Department, will feature nonstop music on two different stages, food trucks, inflatables, a smores station and themed community vendor booths.
San Francisco Giants' Bryce Eldridge breaks his bat during an at-bat against the San Diego Padres in the sixth inning of a baseball game Monday, May 4, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
James Madison High School alum Bryce Eldridge is getting another shot at the majors after he was called up yesterday (Monday) by the San Francisco Giants.
A slugging and pitching star for the Warhawks, which won two state championships during his career, Eldridge was drafted by the Giants in 2023 with the 16th overall pick.
