State transportation leaders are back with a new plan for extending the I-495 Express Lanes on the highway’s south side that they hope will win buy-in from leaders on both sides of the Potomac River.
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) officials briefed the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ Transportation Committee on Tuesday (Sept. 22) on a revamped design that would allow both for Express Lanes and future Metrorail service on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
With the Fairfax County Animal Shelter’s Michael Frey campus closed for renovations for the next several months, conditions are getting a little cramped at its Lorton location.
To help more than 60 pets find their forever homes a little more quickly, Fairfax County Animal Services is partnering with the BISSELL Pet Foundation to waive all adoption fees during an “Empty the Shelters” event this weekend, from Friday (Sept. 25) through Sunday (Sept. 27).
Fairfax County planners are willing to facilitate the relocation of a Reston Community Center satellite facility into a planned redevelopment of a Lake Anne apartment complex.
At its Sept. 9 meeting, the Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously voted to recommend approval of a comprehensive plan amendment to expand the amount of non-residential uses allowed on the Crescent Apartments property more than tenfold.
Reserve your spot for an after-hour event with multi-disciplinary artist Sky Hopinka, Thursday, Nov. 5, 6–9 PM. Experience monumental nature-inspired artworks in the Water’s Edge exhibition, make your own artwork to take home at the National Museum of the American Indian.
Sky Hopinka’s photo and video art—including This is a mnemonic for Truman Lowe in the museum’s collection—shares Truman Lowe’s interest in Indigenous homelands, cultural knowledge, and traditional practices. Hopinka contributed to the exhibition catalog for Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe, writing on Lowe’s lasting impact on his work. Hopinka joins the museum for this special after hours event featuring a screening of three of his short video works followed by a discussion with Rebecca Head Trautmann, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art and exhibition curator, along with art-making activities, and time to enjoy Lowe’s work currently on view. Sky Hopinka has been widely recognized for his experimental short films and photo-based works. A MacArthur Fellow, Guggenheim Fellow, and Forge Project Fellow, his work has been shown in major film festivals, museums, and international exhibitions and is in numerous prominent museum collections. Hopinka is currently an assistant professor in the department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies at Harvard University.
Gov. Calls for Federal AI Guardrails — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Tuesday called on Congress to set national rules for artificial intelligence, warning that its rapid development could threaten jobs, privacy and public resources if oversight remains largely in the hands of the companies building it.” [Virginia Mercury]
Fairfax City Townhomes Approved — “The Fairfax City Council voted 4-2 Tuesday night to approve the Highlands at Mantua townhome proposal after neighboring residents urged changes to address building height, tree preservation, buffers and traffic safety. RJL Associates Inc. plans to replace five office buildings … with 14 townhomes on 2.12 acres at 9495 Silver King Court.” [Patch]
District 10 Congressional Candidates Face Off — “With early voting underway in Virginia, incumbent Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam faced off Tuesday morning against Republican challenger Dave Beckwith in a Loudoun Chamber of Commerce-hosted 10th Congressional District debate.” Topics of discussion ranged from data centers and the electrical grid to federal workforce protections and immigration. [Inside NoVA]
Dessert Shop Open in Falls Church — “Lil’ Cakes & Creamery opened at 120 Founders Avenue, on Founders Row, earlier this month. So far, a store employee told ARLnow, the business’s deluxe cupcakes have been particularly popular — with flavors like pumpkin salted caramel cheesecake, caramel apple pie crisp and maple pecan praline.” [ARLnow]
GMU Launches Va. Quantum Hub — “George Mason University on Tuesday announced plans to establish the Virginia Quantum Hub … The hub aims to generate intellectual property across research and technology, attract capital investments, train the current and future workforce and address global needs in health, logistics, national security and energy, according to a George Mason news release.” [Inside NoVA]
Dulles Adding New Flight to Mexico — “Low-cost carrier Volaris plans to launch regular service between IAD and Guadalajara International Airport … starting in October.” Flights will depart Guadalajara for Dulles at 6:40 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays starting Oct. 1, while leaving in the other direction at 1047 p.m. on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, starting Oct. 2. [Washington Business Journal]
RA Holds Community Yard Sale — “Treasure hunters, bargain seekers and community members alike are invited to the Reston Association Community Yard Sale on Saturday, September 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at Reston Association Headquarters … This fall’s event is shaping up to be the largest in the sale’s history, with 110 vendor families registered to participate.” [Reston Association]
New Legal Notice — Restaurant applying for beer-wine on/off license; objections due 30 days. [Public Notices]
It’s Thursday — Expect partly sunny skies with a high near 65°F, and a northeast wind blowing at 11 to 13 mph, with gusts reaching up to 22 mph. During the night, it’ll be partly cloudy with temperatures dropping to around 52°F and a north wind at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]
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High school students from across the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region are invited to participate in Dialogue for Democracy at George Mason University!
Hosted by the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, this event offers high school students an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about democracy, civic engagement, and the importance of understanding different perspectives.
Good Wednesday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Sep 23, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Thursday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Expect partly sunny skies with a high of about 65 degrees today, accompanied by a northeast wind blowing at 11 mph and gusts reaching up to 22 mph. Tonight, the weather will be partly cloudy with a low of around 49 degrees, and the north wind will decrease to 6 to 9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
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.
An Annandale man was killed over Labor Day weekend after being struck by an SUV driver while walking on I-395 in Lincolnia, the Virginia State Police says.
Troopers responded to the southbound lanes of I-395 near the 2-mile-marker at Edsall Road on Sept. 6 at 5:59 a.m. for the crash.
A McLean man will be sentenced in Fairfax County Circuit Court this week after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the 2025 shooting death of a man in Herndon.
Kianmehr Shirinipaziziba, now 20 years old, was initially charged with second-degree murder in the death of 39-year-old Jason Hann.
Former state and federal prosecutor Brittany Dunn-Pirio announced today that she will challenge Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano for the Democratic nomination in the June 2027 primary election.
Dunn-Pirio, a resident of the Vienna area, says she’s a “lifelong Democrat” who wants to reform the office. According to her website, her platform “centers on standing up for seniors and survivors, expanding access to treatment, protecting the right to a fair trial, and above all, restoring competence Fairfax can trust.”
The Virginia State Police is investigating an apparent shooting that took place on I-66 last night (Tuesday) near the Nutley Street interchange outside Vienna.
First responders with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were sent at around 8:15 p.m. to a reported shooting in the highway’s eastbound lanes near the Nutley Street ramp, according to scanner traffic.
