News

A craft brewery or veterinary hospital could be in Woodland Park Crossing’s future, if Fairfax County approves.

The owner of the Harris Teeter-anchored shopping center, located just west of the Herndon Metro station’s south entrance, is seeking amendments to the development plan that would allow more flexibility in terms of the types of businesses it can host.


Around Town

A pop-up experience bringing guests closer to one of the world’s largest confectionery brands will be unwrapped in Tysons next year.

The Hershey Super Sweet Adventure will “transport guests into a whimsical workshop with games, activities and interactive fun” at Tysons Corner Center beginning “early” next year, according to a press release.


News

Fairfax City could establish a new urban forestry division in the next one to five years to promote tree preservation.

A draft of the city’s new Urban Forest Master Plan, which will be presented to the planning commission today (Dec. 8), envisions two new technicians, an urban forester, and part-time administrative support dedicated to helping implement stronger conservation practices and expand its tree canopy. There would also be a shared GIS technician/analyst.


Announcement

Reston Children’s Center announces that it is continuing to be a sponsor of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Reston Children’s Center has been part of the CACFP program since 1995.

The same meals will be available at no separate charge to all participants at each CACFP facility without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.


Countywide

The cost to rent an apartment is increasing in some parts of Fairfax County, but declining in others.

Four of seven corridors of the county posted year-over-year drops in median rental prices in November, while the other three showed increases, according to new data from Apartment List.


News

If Tysons continues to evolve from commercial suburb into Fairfax County’s urban core, as planners hope, it will need more than 10,000 new homes by 2040 to accommodate the influx of residents, a recently released study found.

Commissioned by the Tysons Community Alliance (TCA) and published on Dec. 3, the Future Housing Demand in Tysons report from consultant Jon Stover & Associates (JS&A) predicts Virginia’s population growth over the next two decades will remain concentrated in its metropolitan areas, with Tysons helping the northern region lead the way.


News

Northern Virginia political leaders have reacted coolly to President Donald Trump’s criticisms of Dulles International Airport and his calls for a major rebuilding project there.

Trump called the airport “terrible” and suggested it was “incorrectly designed” during a Dec. 2 Cabinet meeting. Hours later, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it would seek proposals for new terminals and concourses to replace or enhance the facility, which straddles the Fairfax and Loudoun line.


Countywide
A bluebird sits on a bare tree branch in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Family Seeks Help Finding Missing Man — “A family is pleading for help to find a missing 78-year-old man who left his home in Northern Virginia Monday and hasn’t been seen since that afternoon. Quang Hang left his Chantilly home about 2:30 p.m. to take his car, a 2007 red Toyota Camry, to a mechanic in Leesburg but never arrived.” [NBC4]

Shooting in Burke Under Investigation — “Fairfax County police are investigating a shooting incident that occurred on Sunday in the 5500 block of Burley Court in Burke. Shots were fired around 5:40 p.m., resulting in damage to multiple vehicles, police said.” A man was driven to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. [WJLA]

Man Convicted for Fatal Crash — “A jury today (Friday) found a Fairfax man guilty of aggravated involuntary manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol for a series of crashes on April 16 that killed a teenager.” Jilmar Doria-Medina, 42, was charged with fatally striking 19-year-old Abdullahi Mumin on King Street in Alexandria while the teen was walking with his brother to a nearby McDonald’s. [ALXnow]

GMU Board Denies Settlement Drafted — “George Mason University officials said Thursday that no settlement agreement has been proposed with the federal government as it navigates four civil rights investigations … Outside of the meeting, a group of faculty members protested against the board, accusing it of meeting improperly because it lacked the required members to form a quorum.” [Virginia Mercury]

Braddock Candidate Suggests ‘Mega Mansion’ Tax — Carey “Chet” Campbell, an independent candidate to become the next Braddock District supervisor, says funding county schools is his top priority. He’s also proposing a “progressive tax on ‘mega mansions’ valued at more than $5 million,” among other measures, to fund services without raising property taxes on everyone. [WJLA]

Tires Piling Up Under Springfield Mixing Bowl — “FOX 5 inspected the scene underneath the Mixing Bowl in Springfield, along the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks that carry VRE’s Manassas line — a somewhat hidden place that’s become a dumping ground for car and truck tires.” While the sources of the tires is unknown, the Virginia Department of Transportation said it’s “aware of the situation” and will lead cleanup efforts “since it is located within our right of way.” [FOX5]

Portable Solar Systems Proposed — “Allowing Virginians to generate their own electricity using small solar panel systems plugged in at home was among more than a dozen proposals that a state commission voted Thursday to recommend to the Virginia General Assembly.” The report from the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation could inform legislation considered during the 2026 session. [Cardinal News]

Fairfax City Restaurant Adds Play Space — “Ned’s New England Deck in Fairfax was already a family-friendly destination for lobster rolls and fried clam strips … Now, with their own two- and four-year-old boys, the [owners] wanted to do more for families with young kids. Recently, they opened Play Date Social on the top floor of the restaurant, featuring a 500-square-foot play area in the middle of the dining room.” [Washingtonian]

It’s Monday — There’s a 20% chance of snow from 8am to 2pm, with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 32. Monday night, the clouds will gradually clear, and the temperature will drop to around 20. [NWS]


News

Fairfax County police are investigating a fatal pedestrian crash on Richmond Highway.

Officers and medics were dispatched to the intersection of Richmond Highway and Fairfax County Parkway in Fort Belvoir at 9:51 p.m. Sunday (Dec. 7) for a crash involving a struck pedestrian, according to scanner traffic.


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 — Dec 5, 2025.

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

  • Plagued by turnover, Fairfax Sheriff’s Office on ‘unsustainable trajectory,’ staff say (27119 views)
  • Fairfax County staff plan to be ‘ready to go’ when meals tax starts on Jan. 1 (26758 views)
  • Police: Pedestrian dies days after car crash on Old Keene Mill Road (12279 views)
  • Partial demolition coming for Annandale shopping center to make way for housing (8938 views)
  • JUST IN: Fairfax County schools to delay opening for possible winter storm (8512 views)
  • After months of hearings, Virginia panel set to roll out blueprint for legal cannabis market (8050 views)
  • Fairfax County staff tentatively forecast $131M budget gap, as real estate tax growth slows (7654 views)
  • FCPS opts to resolve student’s lawsuit over gender identity policies (5916 views)
  • Window washers rescued after basket on Tysons high-rise collapses (5479 views)
  • New ice skating rink opening today at Tysons’ Capital One Center (4164 views)
  • Townhouses approved to complete Oakton office park redevelopment (3219 views)
  • Driver charged with manslaughter for ambulance crash in Herndon (3024 views)
  • Don’t miss Winterfest — Reston’s ultimate holiday celebration (2946 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

    Patchy fog is expected to clear by 11am, giving way to partly sunny skies and a high near 42 with light southwest winds. As for Saturday night, expect partly cloudy conditions and a low around 28 with light and variable winds. 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. 👋


    Announcement

    There’s something a little bit magical about picking up a foil for the first time — or drawing back a bow and watching your arrow fly true. It’s why fencing and archery have such a hold on kids and adults alike: real focus, real skill, and a thrill you don’t get from the usual sports lineup.

    This fall, Nova Fencing & Archery Club in Bailey’s Crossroads is opening registration for both, with beginner classes for every age starting the week of September 12th. Fencing welcomes ages 7 to 12 and teens and adults 13 and up. Explore Archery, coached by USA Archery certified instructors, welcomes ages 8 to 12 and meets Tuesdays or Saturdays. And for our youngest fencers, ages 4 to 6, ABC’s of Fencing meets on Saturdays. All classes run eight sessions for $195, equipment provided, no experience needed — yes, even for grown-ups who’ve never held a sword or a bow before.