This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here.
RICHMOND—Bren Pointe residents in Fairfax County are closer to seeing steel transmission towers rise just outside their townhomes after Virginia’s regulators approved a new electricity line to serve a single planned commercial data center.
Home Depot in Reston has been the target of several shoplifting incidents this summer, and Fairfax County police believe they’ve identified the culprits.
Over the past month, the Fairfax County Police Department has arrested and charged seven people allegedly belonging to an “organized retail theft crew” that stole over $20,000 in merchandise across multiple occasions from the home improvement store at 1651 Reston Parkway.
The sailing lifestyle starts with a single moment. A breeze filling the sails. A quiet morning on the Bay. A weekend exploring new places with nothing but the horizon ahead.
For generations, the Chesapeake Bay has inspired sailors with its protected waters, charming waterfront towns, and endless opportunities to explore. It’s a place where a short afternoon sail can become a lifelong passion, and where every trip on the water offers a new adventure.
Every fall, the Annapolis Sailboat Show brings that lifestyle within reach.
From October 15–18, downtown Annapolis transforms into a celebration of sailing, bringing together beautiful sailboats, passionate sailors, industry experts, and waterfront experiences in America’s sailing capital.
Walk the docks, step aboard sailboats from around the world, discover new designs, connect with the sailing community, and imagine where the wind could take you next. You don’t have to be an experienced sailor to enjoy the show. You just have to be curious.
The Annapolis Sailboat Show offers a rare opportunity to experience the sailing world all in one place. Explore sleek performance sailboats built for adventure. Step aboard comfortable cruising yachts designed for weekend escapes. Discover spacious catamarans that offer a new way to experience life on the water.
Every boat represents a different possibility.
Maybe it’s learning to sail for the first time. Maybe it’s planning weekend adventures on the Chesapeake. Maybe it’s simply discovering a new passion you never knew you had. Walk the docks, talk with sailing experts, and explore the boats, brands, and resources that can help make sailing part of your story.
The Annapolis Sailboat Show is more than an event. It’s a celebration of the people, places, and experiences that make sailing special.
Beyond the docks, visitors can experience the best of fall in Annapolis. Stroll historic brick-lined streets, enjoy waterfront dining, browse local shops, and take in views of sailboats moving through the harbor.
Throughout the show grounds, connect with sailing organizations, charter companies, outfitters, and marine experts who help make the sailing lifestyle more accessible. It’s a weekend filled with discovery, community, and the unmistakable energy of a city built around the water.
For many people, sailing is a dream they’ve always wanted to explore but didn’t know where to begin. The Annapolis Sailboat Show helps turn curiosity into confidence.
Take part in educational opportunities designed for every level of experience, including the First Sail Workshop for beginners, Cruisers University for in-depth sailing education, and free daily seminars led by experienced sailors and industry experts.
Whether you’re stepping aboard for the first time or building the skills to go farther, these programs provide the knowledge and confidence to enjoy more time on the water.
Sailing is about more than the boat.
It’s the quiet morning sail. The sunset over the harbor. The weekend escape with friends. The feeling of discovering somewhere new. The Annapolis Sailboat Show brings together the boats, people, and possibilities that make the sailing lifestyle so rewarding.
Come step aboard, meet the sailing community, and discover where your next adventure begins.
How Medicaid Changes Could Affect Va. — “Three major changes will land especially hard in Virginia, some experts believe. Modeling from KFF, an independent health research group, suggests that Virginia could lose just over a fifth of the Medicaid funding it currently receives from the federal government over the next ten years — one of the steepest reductions faced by any state in the country.” [WAMU]
Clifton Man Charged With Seeking Sex From Minors — “On July 5, at 12:45 a.m., officers responded to the 13000 block of Laurel Rock Drive in Clifton for a sex offense report. The complainant reported that the two juvenile victims were walking when a suspect approached them and solicited sexual acts.” A 22-year-old man was arrested and charged with two counts of indecent liberties with a child. [FCPD]
Federal Grant for Addiction Recovery Nonprofit Cut — “Ginny Atwood, co-founder of The Chris Atwood Foundation, said she recently learned a multiyear, $200,000 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services has been ‘wiped out overnight.’ It was COVID-related funding, Atwood said.” The nonprofit fears it could “potentially lose” its recovery community center in Fairfax if it isn’t able to replace the lost funding. [WTOP]
D.C. Marketing Agency Moving to Fairfax — “SweetScience Marketing is relocating its local operations from The Wharf in D.C. to the Mason Enterprise Center in Fairfax. The move for the tech-forward marketing agency is being supported by a grant from Fairfax City Economic Development.” The company anticipates moving into its new office at 10300 Eaton Place in the redeveloping WillowWood Plaza by Oct. 1. [Washington Business Journal]
GMU Catholic Chapel Addition Proposed — “The Catholic Diocese of Arlington recently filed a special permit amendment application with Fairfax County, seeking approval to build an addition to the chapel that serves students at George Mason University’s Fairfax campus.” The new space for the St. Robert Bellarmine Chapel would be used for offices and meeting rooms. [Patch]
End in Sight for Columbia Pike Roadwork — “Years of construction on Columbia Pike are finally nearing a conclusion, with county staff targeting ‘substantial completion’ by the end of this year.” Improvements include “wider sidewalks, street trees, new streetlights and better traffic signals,” including a new one at the S. Rolfe Street intersection near the pike’s east end. [ARLnow]
Reston Count Finds Uptick in Dragonflies — “The unusually pleasant August weather helped provide nice results and certainly kept the volunteers from fatiguing early. The final tally was 721 individuals from 16 species of dragonflies. For the last fifteen years, the average individual count has been around 440 dragonflies. The last time the count exceeded 700 was in 2020.” [Reston Association]
Art Installations to Beautify Annandale — “Two noteworthy art experiences will hit Annandale in the next couple of weeks. A new Artopolis show at Beanetics highlights stunning mixed-media and collage works by Theresa Martin, while renowned DC Comics artist Matt Johnston applies his mural skills to Flavor Hive, our new hot dining spot.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Thursday — There’s a 20% chance of showers both before noon and after 1pm, accompanied by a cloudy sky and a high near 76 degrees. At night, clouds will gradually clear to become partly cloudy, and the temperature will dip to a low of around 64 degrees. [NWS]
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
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 — Aug 20, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Thursday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Isolated showers are expected before 11am, followed by a slight chance of showers after 2pm. The cloudy day will have a high near 76, accompanied by a 14 mph north wind and gusts up to 24 mph. The 20% chance of precipitation will carry into Thursday night, when the clouds will gradually give way to partly cloudy skies and a low around 64. Winds will continue from the north at 6 to 9 mph with gusts reaching 18 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.
Event location
Online event (see link)
*Mamistad Groups meet IN PERSON-only the introductory Zoom call is virtual. 🙂
Pregnancy and new mom groups are a lifesaver when it comes to normalizing those feelings we just can’t be prepared for.
Yesterday (Tuesday) marked a major milestone in the future of Fairfax County’s emergency response: one of the agency’s first uses of artificial intelligence.
For a brief period of time that day, the county’s Department of Public Safety Communications (DPSC) tested an AI system to triage select calls for service to the non-emergency line, officials announced.
An apartment community near Dulles International Airport has changed hands.
The developers Bozzuto and Invesco Real Estate recently acquired Ashton at Dulles Corner — a 454-unit garden apartment complex at 13958 Mansarde Avenue in the McNair area south of Herndon — as part of a $330 million investment.
Getting axed will take on a more literal yet more enjoyable meaning in Tysons next week with the arrival of Level99.
Ax Run, where players race along a narrow beam while dodging swinging foam axes, is one of 53 games that will test patrons’ physical and mental agility when the unique entertainment venue opens at Tysons Corner Center on Monday (Aug. 25).
Another case of measles has been confirmed in a person who traveled through Dulles International Airport last week, state health officials say.
The individual is a resident of another state, but they passed through the airport during the afternoon of Aug. 12, potentially exposing other travelers and workers, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced today (Wednesday).
Local police arrested a man last week for allegedly illegally possessing a firearm — but only after stopping him for another offense.
The man was spotted driving a stolen vehicle in the 6000 block of Richmond Highway in Groveton around 10:38 a.m. on Aug. 14, catching the attention of Auto Crimes Enforcement detectives, the Fairfax County Police Department said yesterday (Tuesday).
Traveling to Italy, looking to learn a new language, or want to brush up on existing Italian skills? The Italian Cultural Society has provided Italian language lessons since 1974, and recently expanded its services to Northern Virginia. This fall, kids and adults can take lessons at our new location at the Vienna Community Center. Saturday, in-person classes are taught by native Italian speakers.
Adults can meet other community members interested in Italian, build real-world language skills (like how to order at a restaurant, purchase tickets at a station, or ask for directions), and learn more about Italy’s culture, art, and history while also acquiring the grammatical skills and vocabulary needed to advance in the language. Kids will learn through age-appropriate games, crafts, songs, and more. Our Virginia Chapter courses start at age 2 and go all the way up the 8th grade.
