News

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) announced yesterday that a series of meetings over the next month will cover plans to add new bike lanes and marked crosswalks around the county.

According to FCDOT, the restriping is scheduled for next year’s repaving season, which typically begins in the spring and ends in November.


News

Uncertainty remains as county leaders and budget staff begin looking toward the fiscal 2027 budget process.

“Overall, we’re kind of sitting in the same place,” said Philip Hagen, director of the county’s Department of Management and Budget. He was briefing members of the Board of Supervisors’ Budget Policy Committee on Sept. 16.


Sponsored

Incredibly excited to wrap up an awesome first summer. I’ve learned a lot, and I thought I’d share some of those lessons with you.

1. Hiring a JMU intern is a great idea.

This summer we were lucky enough to hire a young man from Woodbridge named Owen, who is a rising senior at JMU. He was exactly the spark we needed to help us push through our first busy summer season. We’ve already made him a job offer for next summer when he graduates, and we’re hopeful he’ll join us full-time.

2. People are generally helpful and want to see you succeed when you’re first starting out.

Over the summer, I was amazed by how many people wanted to help me get a strong start in my business. There were definitely times when I knew folks might not need a new roof, but they were still kind enough to let me come by, take a look, and give them a free estimate just in case. It was inspiring and motivating to know that there are strangers out there who don’t even know me but still want to see me win.

3. Hard work solves most problems.

From the beginning, I’ve been honest about having a lot to learn in this industry. What I’ve come to find is that even when I don’t know exactly what I’m doing, hard work will still often get me to the right result. When in doubt, just keep pushing. This is something I’ll remember as more hard times come and as we get ready to go through the cold winter season.

4. Working with property managers and realtors can be a win-win for everyone.

This year, we’ve built some great relationships with property managers and realtors. These folks are hardworking and busy, and the last thing they have time to worry about is a roof for their clients. We’ve worked with them to install new roofs, windows, gutters, doors, and siding on multiple occasions.

5. Some folks will slam the door in your face without thinking twice.

Things aren’t always easy in this game, and I don’t want to paint an overly rosy picture without talking about some of the hard stuff too. As a new person working hard to get your name out there, it can definitely be a little daunting when someone yells at you or slams the door in your face. Luckily, most people are warm and will at least talk to you, and we’ve appreciated that as we navigate these bumps along the way.

6. Most homeowners just want transparency and great customer service.

It’s wild how many contractors out there really can’t be trusted. We’ve come to learn quickly that homeowners just want fantastic customer service and transparency throughout the process. If you can honestly show someone how the process is going to take place and hold their hand a little along the way, you can make almost all of your customers pretty happy.

7. Homeowners taught me more than any training could have.

(more…)


News

A 30-year-old man accused of brandishing a firearm in a Groveton store earlier this month has been arrested.

The Fairfax County Police Department took the suspect, an Alexandria resident, into custody shortly after the Sept. 12 incident, the department said Wednesday.


Announcement

The Virginia Hurricanes Girls Basketball program is holding tryouts for its 3rd Grade and 5th Grade travel teams, competing in a full schedule this Fall and Winter season. Join a competitive, supportive program built to develop skilled, confident players on and off the court.

Registration is required at: https://www.virginiahurricanes.net/basketball/aau-teams


Event

The Reston Museum is honored to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Lambda Kappa Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority with a new exhibit, unveiled on September 13, 2026, immersing museum visitors in the chapter’s rich legacy of sisterhood and service to our community. Established with the help of the late Cathy Hudgins, former member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the chapter has made significant contributions to the people of Fairfax County through extensive service and charitable investments. Admission to the museum is free to the public.


News

County supervisors reacted unhappily to how little of their approved funding for pedestrian and bicyclist improvements has filtered down to completed projects.

“How completely unacceptable — it has to change,” said Dranesville Supervisor Jimmy Bierman to the news that only about $12 million of the $82.1 million approved for improvements has been encumbered or spent.


News

Fairfax County’s newest Congressman is taking on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) less than a week after taking office.

Rep. James Walkinshaw, sworn in to represent Virginia’s 11th Congressional District last Wednesday, officially co-sponsored the “Delete DOGE Act” last week, fulfilling a campaign promise to target the agency behind widespread federal workforce cuts.


Countywide
Benches face Belmont Bay at Mason Neck State Park (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Family Reunited with Missing Cat — “Two years ago, one family’s beloved cat Spencer went missing. Last week, they were finally reunited.” [ABC7]

It’s Wednesday — Showers and potential thunderstorms are likely throughout the day, with temperatures reaching a high near 70°F and north winds of 11 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. There is a 60% chance of precipitation, and new rainfall amounts may vary between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, potentially higher during thunderstorms. The chance of showers decreases to 30% before 2am on Wednesday night, with a cloudy low of 63°F and north winds of 6-8 mph. [NWS]

Senators Demand Education Department Restore School Funding — “U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner sent a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Monday demanding the immediate reversal of federal funding cuts to Alexandria City Public Schools and four other Northern Virginia school districts over transgender student policies.” [ALXnow]

Dranesville Shooting Suspect Charged with Murder — “A 25-year-old man has been charged with murder after police say he rammed the victim’s vehicle with his own and then shot him multiple times.” [FOX5]

Banners Hallmark Shop Files for Bankruptcy — “A Virginia retail chain filed for bankruptcy, telling the court it hopes to recoup its losses during the upcoming holiday shopping season.” [Patch]

Falls Church Officials Prepare for Early Voting This Week — “Falls Church election officials are getting ready for the start of early voting on Friday and the general election in November.” [ARLnow]

Celebrate Guacamole Day at These 5 Northern Virginia Restaurants — “We’re in the last few weeks of summer, so it’s time to savor all the bites, dishes, and ingredients that remind us of sunny days and balmy nights. One of the best? Chips and guacamole. Plus, September 16 is National Guacamole Day, so we’ve rounded up five NoVA restaurants serving up some of the best guac around.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]


Legal Notice

Please be advised that LW STAR INC doing business as Szechuan Star, has applied to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to sell alcoholic beverages at:

6960 Bradlick Shopping Center CTR H Annandale Fairfax County VIrginia 22003.

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a wine and beer on and off premises and mixed beverages type license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Owner -Jing LIN and LiRong Lian

NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or (800) 552-3200


Around Town

Good Tuesday 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 16, 2025.

📅 Upcoming events

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

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

⛈️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect showers and thunderstorms likely before noon, followed by potential showers and a thunderstorm between noon to 2pm, with chances of further showers and thunderstorms later. Anticipate a cloudy day with a high near 69, with the north wind around 11 mph, gusting to 20 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60% with new rainfall ranging between a tenth and quarter of an inch, though higher in thunderstorms. For Wednesday night, there is a 30% chance of showers before 2am, with mostly cloudy conditions and a low around 62. The north wind will blow at 6 to 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.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.