News

A divided Fairfax City Council narrowly approved a major redevelopment plan at its July 22 meeting that will see a century-old home replaced with up to 276 apartment units, plus ground-floor commercial and retail space, on a key parcel in Old Town Fairfax.

The 4-3 vote to support the staff recommendation for redevelopment marked the conclusion of a nearly decade-old process to determine the future of the 2.7-acre site at 4131 Chain Bridge Road.


News

For its next act, 1st Stage Theatre in Tysons will get a major face-lift.

The nonprofit theater company is in the midst of a three-year campaign to raise $4 million that will be used to upgrade its home in the Spring Hill Business Center (1524 Spring Hill Road), increase staff pay, expand programming and more.


News

By OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/Report for America

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A northern Virginia circuit judge ruled on Friday that prosecutors’ case against an IRS agent charged with killing his wife and another man cannot include a recorded interview from the defendant’s young daughter.


Countywide
Ominously cloudy skies over the Russell at Reston Station apartments (staff photo by Angela Woolsey

Blue Line Metro Stations Reopen — “Blue Line summer construction is complete! Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations are now open. Thank you for your patience. Crews updated the train control and signaling system, renewed rails and ties, and repaired lighting.” [WMATA/Bluesky]

VCU Withheld Student’s Diploma — “A year after pro-Palestinian protests at Virginia Commonwealth University, Oakton native Sereen Haddad organized a gathering in late April commemorating the encampment that once stood on campus.” The university later cited Haddad and others for violating student conduct policies and said their degrees would be withheld until the process was resolved. Haddad said Friday (July 25) that a board had cleared her. [WUSA9]

Man Who Fired Gun in Mall Violated Parole — “A popular D.C. rapper who served time for opening fire inside the Tysons Corner Center mall in Northern Virginia will remain free after he was found guilty of violating his probation … [Noah] Settles was ordered to avoid marijuana and continue substance abuse treatment and drug screenings.” [NBC4]

Tysons Office Building Listed for Sale — “Bethesda-based Washington Property Co. has owned the four-story, 1980s-era office at 8618 Westwood Center Drive for more than 20 years, but is now looking to let it go. Offers are due by July 31, according to marketing materials from Cohn Property Group, the seller’s broker.” The site is being advertised as an opportunity for redevelopment, with an illustrative concept plan showing townhouses. [Washington Business Journal]

Vienna Extends Tax Deadline — “Due to technical problems, the deadline to pay Town real estate taxes is extended to July 31, 2025. Payments can be made in person, dropped in the night deposit box at Town Hall, or mailed. No late fees will be assessed to mailed payments postmarked on or before 7/31.” [Town of Vienna/X]

Auto Parts Store Opens in Annandale — “AutoZone is now open next to Pep Boys at 7121 Little River Turnpike in Annandale. It’s located in the space formerly occupied by Pep Boys’ auto supply store but is completely separate. The store sells everything for cars, from motor oil to wiper blades, from batteries to air fresheners.” [Annandale Today]

Totally Trucks Returning to Reston — “Bring the kids for an up-close look at the big trucks Reston Association uses to keep our community beautiful! If available, police and fire trucks may also be on display. Each child will receive a ‘Totally Trucks’ construction helmet. Some vehicles will be horn-free for a sensory-friendly experience.” The event will be held at RA’s Central Services Facility (12250 Sunset Hills Road) this Friday (Aug. 1) from 8:30 a.m. to noon. [Reston Association]

Outdoor Movie Series Starting Soon — “Introduce your family to the magic of the drive-in theater this summer at Starlight Cinema, part of the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Summer Entertainment Series. During the first four Saturdays in August, bask in the dreamy atmosphere of movies by starlight at Sully Historic Site, located at 3650 Historic Sully Way.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]

It’s Monday — Expect a sunny day with highs reaching near 95 and heat index values as high as 101. A northwest wind around 6 mph will provide some relief. For Monday night, the sky will be mostly clear and temperatures will drop to a low of around 76 with calm winds. [NWS]


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 — Jul 25, 2025.

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

  • UPDATED: I-495 reopens after fatal multi-vehicle crash in Springfield (46312 views)
  • Costco in Fairfax to temporarily close gas station for expansion (15965 views)
  • Senior living towers proposed for Shipgarten site in Tysons (7355 views)
  • As spotted lanternflies multiply, Fairfax urges residents to ‘smash on sight’ (9636 views)
  • NOVA Reston office building could be replaced by dozens of homes (7207 views)
  • Reston man found dead in vehicle parked near Delaware beach (7029 views)
  • FCPD: Woman sexually assaulted at Centreville grocery store (6510 views)
  • Reston Town Center North plan heading in right direction, design board says (6501 views)
  • Beach-inspired D.C. restaurant to join Sweetgreen at Chesterbrook in McLean (5613 views)
  • Police arrest man who allegedly grabbed toddler at Fair Oaks Mall (5075 views)
  • Fires, flooding break out over weekend in Reston area (4649 views)
  • Police: Armed man robs woman in Tysons, as boyfriend’s home is burglarized (5359 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 showers and thunderstorms mainly after 5pm, with mostly sunny conditions and a high near 94. Heat index values may reach 100 and light winds from the northeast at 5 mph in the afternoon. There is a 30% chance of precipitation. For Saturday night, showers and thunderstorms are likely from 8pm to 2am, with mostly cloudy conditions and a low around 75. Southeast winds at 3 to 5 mph accompany this 60% chance of precipitation, and new rainfall of up to half an inch is possible. 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. 👋


    News

    A man was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Fairfax County Parkway in Burke earlier this afternoon (Friday).

    Officers were dispatched to Fairfax County Parkway at Old Keene Mill Road around 4:09 p.m. for a tractor-trailer that had flipped over, according to scanner traffic.


    Countywide

    The U.S. Department of Education is pushing several Northern Virginia school districts, including Fairfax County Public Schools, to roll back their policies intended to support transgender students.

    The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced today (Friday) that it has found FCPS and its counterparts in Arlington, Alexandria, Prince William and Loudoun in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, arguing that letting students use bathrooms and other facilities consistent with their gender identity constitutes discrimination on the basis of sex.


    Countywide

    A Fairfax-based restorative justice pilot program could become permanent after receiving a grant from Microsoft and the Urban Institute.

    Adult Accountability for Safer Communities (AASC) is one of 25 nonprofit organizations selected to join the Catalyst Grant Program, which aims to advance the use of data and technology to improve racial equity and reform in the criminal legal system.