News

A man from Spotsylvania was arrested last week for allegedly threatening to bomb one of Northern Virginia’s biggest mosques.

The threat was posted as a comment on the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center’s Instagram page, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO).


Around Town

A Fredericksburg-based specialty pet supply store plans to open its tenth location in Chantilly — its first in Fairfax County — this fall.

Dog Krazy, a franchise founded in 2006 by Nancy Guinn, will open at 13932 Route 50 in Sully Plaza. In addition to food and supplies for both dogs and cats, the 2,400-square foot store will offer self-service dog washes and grooming.


Countywide

Since it began collecting near-miss data for local roads in 2021, Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets has accumulated more evidence that such close calls between drivers and other travelers reflect patterns of behavior, rather than random or one-time slip-ups.

More than 70% or 94 of the 129 near-misses reported by community members in Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church between January 2025 and June of this year were marked as recurring incidents, according to an analysis released by the volunteer-led safety advocacy organization on Sept. 10.


News

A missing piece that would complete Discovery Square’s transformation from planned office park into a mixed-use, residential development in the Sully District is nearing the final stages of approval from Fairfax County.

The proposal, which calls for 108 multifamily units and about 31,400 square feet of neighborhood-serving retail on an 8-acre site in the northwest quadrant of Centreville Road and Wall Road, obtained a key endorsement from the Fairfax County Planning Commission earlier this month.


Event

Celebrate the spirit of Diwali with us at the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center for a joyful and uplifting afternoon for the whole family.

Enjoy delicious food, meditation, dance, spiritual stories, creative activities for children, candle lighting, blessings, abundance mantras, and more as we come together with family, friends, and community to celebrate peace, love, kindness, and abundance for all.


Around Town

A Greek restaurant chain from Maryland will continue its recent expansion into Northern Virginia with a new location in Reston.

The Big Greek Cafe is coming to the North Point Village Center, where it will take over a space vacated in spring 2025 by California Tortilla, according to Nikos Kontos, the restaurant’s director of operations.


News

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a comprehensive plan amendment last Tuesday, Sept. 15 that could lead to nearly 3,000 new multifamily units near the Dunn Loring Metro station in Merrifield.

The vote was another procedural step forward in allowing Malkin Properties to replace its existing 706-unit Merrifield at Dunn Loring Station apartment complex with up to 2,975 units located in high-rise and mid-rise buildings.


Countywide
A bench next to a stone-ringed pond outside Walker Nature Center in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Woman Killed in Route 50 Crash Identified — Fairfax County police identified the woman who was killed in a crash while using a mobility wheelchair to cross Route 50 on Friday (Sept. 18) as 53-year-old Theresa Flynn of Chantilly. “Preliminarily, speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors for the driver.” [FCPD]

Trump Claims Arch Would Be Militarized — “President Donald Trump said Sunday that the massive arch he wants to build between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery would become a ‘top grade military complex’ able to host drones and snipers while storing ammunition.” [ARLnow]

Arch Gets OK From FAA — “The Federal Aviation Administration approved President Donald Trump’s ‘triumphal arch’ near Arlington National Cemetery, after determining that the structure will not pose a threat to aircraft.” However, the agency said an “eternal flame” and floodlights would be required to light the structure and make it easier for pilots to see. [FOX5]

State Faces Deficit for Highway Maintenance — “Virginia faces a funding gap of at least $1.7 billion for highway maintenance work, with roads falling into disrepair creating an economic and safety liability that could affect future construction projects across the commonwealth, state transportation department staff reported” last week. [Virginia Mercury]

Substation Near Dulles Airport Rejected — “The substation was proposed on 20 acres of an 83-acre industrially zoned property located south of Old Ox Road and just west of Carters School Road … During the Sept. 15 meeting, Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) won support to deny the application, citing concerns with converting flex industrial space to a substation use.” [Loudoun Now]

No Injuries in ‘Wild’ I-66 Crash — Traffic camera video shows a “wild” crash that occurred after a car stopped on I-66 West near Route 28 yesterday (Sunday) morning. “People got out. Then another car stopped, and more people got out. Five people were in or near the roadway when a driver didn’t see what was ahead, hit three vehicles, and scattered the extremely lucky people.” [Dave Statter/X]

Bus Rapid Transit Planned in Falls Church — “A blueprint for an expanded network of bus rapid transit (BRT) in Northern Virginia includes three lines passing through Falls Church.” Those lines would be on Route 7 from Tysons to Alexandria, Route 50 from Dunn Loring to Crystal City, and Route 29 from Dunn Loring to Farragut Square. [ARLnow]

New Middle Eastern Cafe in Bailey’s Crossroads — “Habibi House, a new café in Bailey’s Crossroads, is more than a coffee shop … Located at 3400-B Washington Drive between the Jerusalem Restaurant and the Afandina Hookah Lounge, Habibi House Café specializes in Middle Eastern coffee drinks and pastries.” [Annandale Today]

Funding for Reston Nonprofit — “Cornerstones, a Reston nonprofit that provides food and emergency assistance to Fairfax County families, has been awarded a three-year, $150,000 grant to expand its food access programs … The Cornerstones grant is part of more than $2 million the Maximus Foundation awarded to nonprofit organizations across the country this year.” [Patch]

New Legal Notice — Facility continues CACFP participation since 2003; meals free, nondiscriminatory. [Public Notices]

It’s Monday — Expect isolated showers in the afternoon with mostly cloudy skies and a high around 75°F. With a low around 62°F, there’s a 90% chance of rain overnight, with new precipitation amounts ranging from a quarter to half an inch. [NWS]

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News

A woman was killed earlier Friday (Sept. 18) after she was struck by a driver while traveling on Route 50 in a wheelchair.

Officers were dispatched at 7:27 p.m. to the Plaza Lane intersection just in front of Greenbriar Town Center near Chantilly after receiving a report of a pedestrian getting hit by a vehicle, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.


Around Town

Good Friday 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 — Sep 18, 2026.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  • Development plan for Reston Town Center North wins final approval (12706 views)
  • Community mourns after owner of Vienna’s Caffe Amouri dies from cancer (8538 views)
  • Fairfax County authorizes police to cite properties with recurring criminal activity (6997 views)
  • Fairfax chairman advises neighbor locality to think carefully about governance changes (6567 views)
  • FCPS officials warn funding cuts likely needed with difficult budgetary year ahead (5479 views)
  • Burke motorcyclist killed in crash, third Braddock Road fatality of 2026 (5390 views)
  • JUST IN: Health care coalition leader charged with illegally filming teens in Tysons stores (5225 views)
  • Fairfax County board suspends Flock camera installations, as criticism grows in N. Va. (4557 views)
  • Playfully named Vietnamese eatery coming to Fairfax City (3397 views)
  • Centreville’s 41-acre Trinity Centre office park could be replaced with housing (3229 views)
  • Transformation of Merrifield office park to mixed-use housing approved (2768 views)
  • Reston wine and houseware shop plans grand opening with tastings, music (2720 views)
  • 📅 Upcoming events

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

    Here are the events planned for Sunday:

    🌤️ Saturday’s forecast

    Expect partly sunny skies today with temperatures rising to around 78°F and a northeast wind blowing at 6 to 8 mph. Tonight, the weather will be mostly cloudy with temperatures dropping to about 67°F, accompanied by a southeast wind of around 8 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.

    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. 👋