News

Diners will pay a little bit more to eat at Vienna restaurants starting next year.

By a 6-1 vote yesterday (Monday), the Vienna Town Council approved a one-percentage-point increase to the town’s meals tax, bumping the current 3% rate to 4% indefinitely.


Countywide
The Red Caboose in Vienna serves as a reminder of the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

GMU President Disputes Finding — “Facing mounting pressure from the Trump administration, a lawyer for George Mason University President Gregory Washington told the board on Monday the leader had done nothing unlawful and would not apologize for his diversity, equity and inclusion policies, despite a call from the Education Department to do so.” [Washington Post]

Driver Injured in Multi-Vehicle Crash — Fairfax County police officers responded yesterday (Monday) afternoon to a multi-vehicle crash at Sully Park Drive and Kamputa Drive in Centreville. “One adult male driver was transported to a local hospital in life-threatening condition.” The road reopened around 8:45 p.m., but an investigation is ongoing. [FCPD/X]

McLean Mansion Sells for Record Price — “The 22,000-square-foot mansion at 6431 Georgetown Pike sold Monday for $18.5 million,” making it “the most expensive home ever sold in Northern Virginia that doesn’t front the Potomac River.” Listed for $22 million in March, the estate formerly known as Chateau du Soleil first got a makeover to remove some gaudier touches, such as a mirrored ballroom ceiling. It still features a spa, gym, a lap pool, gardens, a jogging path, smart-tech systems, a 200-inch retractable TV and more. [Washington Business Journal]

Man Cited for Concealed Gun at Fairfax Park — “A 40-year-old Annandale man was cited for having a concealed firearm in a public park during last Friday’s Rock the Block event at Old Towne Square, according to authorities. Around 7:54 p.m., police responded for the report of someone carrying a concealed firearm while drinking.” The Fairfax City Council is considering expanding its restrictions on guns, which have been in place since 2021. [Patch]

License Plate Reader Company Pauses Work With Feds — “Flock Safety, whose cameras are mounted in more than 4,000 communities nationwide, put a hold last week on pilot programs with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection and its law enforcement arm, Homeland Security Investigations, according to a statement by its founder and CEO, Garrett Langley.” [Associated Press/ABC News]

Police Warn About Romance Scams — “Our Financial Crimes Unit is seeing versions of the same pattern: a ‘perfect’ match starts a conversation, moves you to private messaging, avoids meeting in person or on live video, and eventually asks for money or sensitive information. Here’s how to spot the red flags and protect yourself and your loved ones.” [FCPD]

New FCPS Hall of Fame Members Announced — “Three Annandale High School graduates are among the 11 Fairfax County Public School’s Alumni Hall of Fame, Educate Fairfax announced on Aug. 22.” The new inductees, who will be honored at Wolf Trap next month, include CNN anchor Jim Acosta and Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay’s chief of staff, Amir Abu-El-Hawa. [Annandale Today]

Theater Coming to D.C. Area This Fall — “This fall, many exciting plays and musicals are being staged at theaters across the Northern Virginia area. Here are some highlights of the season’s must-see shows,” including “Fair Play” at the renovated 1st Stage in Tysons and NextStop Theatre’s production of “The Last Five Years” in Herndon. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Tuesday — Expect sunshine and a high near 79 degrees with a northwest wind of 5 to 7 mph. On Tuesday night, it will be partly cloudy and the temperature will drop to around 59 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind at about 6 mph. [NWS]


Around Town

Good Monday 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 25, 2025.

📅 Upcoming events

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

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

☀️ Tuesday’s forecast

Expect mostly sunny skies with a high temperature near 78 degrees and a mild northwest wind of 6 to 8 mph. As night falls, the sky will become partly cloudy with a low temperature around 58 degrees and a steady northwest wind at 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.

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


Announcement

We love fall at Art House 7 and can’t wait for you to explore all our offerings. Painting, drawing, ceramics, and sewing/crocheting are our perennials, along with less traditional mediums. Kawaii Style Drawing and Digital Art are among our new classes for kids. We offer an excellent 6-week program for high schoolers preparing their college portfolios. Want something shorter? We have 3-week classes, including linocut notecards. Love ceramics? We have a dedicated studio that comfortably accommodates wheel and hand-building classes. 

Fall 1 Session begins Tue. Sep. 8.


Around Town

What? Gaming Giant is evolving!

The Fairfax City gaming shop Gaming Giant celebrated its grand reopening last Friday (Aug. 22) in a new, larger space in the Old Town Plaza shopping center, right in the heart of the City of Fairfax and around the corner from a previous location.


Event

The Reston Museum invites the community to a special program on Wednesday, September 16th from 7:00 to 8:00PM featuring urban geographer, Shelley Mastran, who will explore the history of planned communities using Reston as a case study. Her presentation will examine the ideas and movements that influenced Reston's design and explore how urban design shapes our sense of community.


News

Invasive species, an overpopulation of deer and climate change are threatening Reston’s valued forests, a report released earlier this summer found.

Reston Association’s 2024 State of the Environment Report (RASER), published in June, deemed Reston’s urban forests to be in “fair” condition due to the “collective severity” of those and other challenges, including negative impacts of construction and yard debris getting dumped in natural areas.


Around Town

For the first time, one of Northern Virginia’s most popular food festivals is expanding to two days.

The Taste of NoVA, returning for its third year, will be held both October 11 and 12 — Friday and Saturday — from noon to 4 p.m., according to event organizers.


Around Town

The VA250 Mobile Museum, a hands-on museum on wheels, is heading to southeastern Fairfax County for Labor Day weekend.

The museum is an interactive exhibit that highlights Virginia history as part of the country’s 250th anniversary. It will stop by Gunston Hall (10709 Gunston Road) in Lorton from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Sunday, Aug. 31 through Tuesday, Sept. 2, according to Visit Fairfax, a nonprofit organization that promotes Fairfax County as a tourism destination.


News

A plan to add bike lanes and reconfigure part of Huntington Avenue in the Mount Vernon District has come to a halt without a clear path forward.

The project, which was a joint effort of Virginia’s Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT), has stalled after multiple years of planning, both agencies told FFXnow.


News

Residents in the Wolf Trap area might need to find a new source of bonsai and other plants in the future.

The owners of Wolf Trap Nursery are seeking to redevelop the nearly 6.5-acre property at 9439 Leesburg Pike where they have sold a variety of home and garden plants for 53 years, according to a rezoning application recently submitted to Fairfax County.


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