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 — Aug 15, 2025.

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

  • NASA remains tight-lipped about Discovery space shuttle transfer plans (24446 views)
  • ‘Wonder’ food hall reveals which restaurants will be on the menu in Fairfax County (14331 views)
  • Roggenart bakery and cafe set for grand opening in Reston (9441 views)
  • Tatte Bakery and Cafe scheduled to open in Fairfax City this month (8081 views)
  • JW Marriott hotel and condos on track to launch at Reston Station this fall (5920 views)
  • Regional Summer Restaurant Week returns this month with two dozen Fairfax participants (5189 views)
  • Brothers sentenced for Fairfax-area armed robberies to at least 10 years in prison (4030 views)
  • Urban farm coming to long-vacant Fairfax Circle site after receiving $25k grant (3943 views)
  • FCPD: Chantilly man charged with sexual abuse of teen (3605 views)
  • FCPD: Herndon private school teacher fired, arrested in child solicitation sting operation (4608 views)
  • Plan for final building in Tysons’ Park Crest neighborhood is under review (3227 views)
  • Two FCPD leaders dropped from wrongful death lawsuit over fatal police shooting (3181 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 9am, giving way to partly sunny skies and a high temperature near 89 degrees. The east wind will range from 3 to 6 mph. As for Saturday night, anticipate mostly clear conditions with a low temperature around 70 degrees and a south wind at approximately 6 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. 👋


    Countywide

    Fairfax County Public Schools is joining its counterparts across Northern Virginia in rejecting the Trump administration’s demands that it rescind policies supporting transgender and gender-nonconforming students.

    In a message to FCPS staff and families, Superintendent Michelle Reid says she has sent a response to the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) defending the school system’s policies as consistent with existing state and federal law, requesting that the federal government pause any further action until the issue is “clarified” by the courts.


    Countywide

    With schools around Fairfax County starting up next week, this is your reminder to pay extra-special attention on the roads and look out for kids.

    Fairfax County Public Schools are back in session starting Monday, Aug. 18, meaning roads around the region will once again feature over 1,600 school buses loading and unloading students.


    News

    Fairfax County voters will have a second chance on Monday (Aug. 18) to hear from the two men vying to succeed the late Gerry Connolly as Virginia’s 11th Congressional District representative.

    Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw, the Democratic nominee, and former FBI agent Stewart Whitson, the Republican nominee, will both participate in a candidate forum at 8 p.m. organized by the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area, a nonpartisan group that advocates for voting rights and civic participation.


    Event

    Fil-Am Spring Fest 2026 is a free Filipino-American cultural festival hosted by Fil-Am FEST Inc. on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, Virginia.

    The festival celebrates Filipino culture, heritage, food, music, dance, small businesses, and community connection. Guests can enjoy cultural performances, Filipino food vendors, family-friendly activities, artisan and retail vendors, community partner booths, and nonprofit initiatives.


    News

    An Ashburn man who taught at a private school in the Herndon area has been arrested for child solicitation, among other charges, after allegedly interacting online with detectives he believed were minors.

    According to the Fairfax County Police Department, David Mark Sabin, 38, contacted an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old online in July.


    Opinion

    From game rooms and arcades to bowling lanes, Fairfax is home to a variety of fun spaces to host a kid’s birthday party — no matter their special interest.

    Here are the nominees for “Best Kid’s Birthday Party Venue in Fairfax” as part of our FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. See your favorite place below? If not, write them in!

    Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 29.

    Voting for the Best Seafood Restaurant in Fairfax is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 9 a.m.

    Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best Thai Restaurant in Fairfax. The results are now official:

    1. Sisters Thai
    2. Tiki Thai
    3. Kiin Imm Thai Restaurant

    Around Town

    Falls Church-area residents will soon have a new place to pamper their pets with both sweet treats and spa-like treatments.

    The Miami-based chain Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming is working on a new location at the Tysons Station shopping center in Pimmit Hills, filling a 1,518-square-floor space at 7504 Leesburg Pike.


    News

    A pedestrian who was hit by a driver in the Daventry neighborhood of West Springfield last week has died, police say.

    Jay Kim, 76, of Springfield was apparently crossing Hunter Village Drive using the crosswalk at Rockledge Court Friday morning (Aug. 15) when the driver of a northbound 2007 Toyota Camry struck him, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.


    Countywide

    Two years after it started exploring the idea, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) is starting to make progress on establishing a regional youth mental health facility.

    The new treatment center for teens could become operational in Chantilly early next year, the CSB says.