News

Two Fairfax County Police Department commanders have been dropped from a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the mother of the victim in a fatal police shooting.

A federal judge on Friday (Aug. 8) granted the removal of both Deputy Chief Wilson Lee and Major Scott Colwell from the civil lawsuit initiated by the mother of Timothy Johnson, who was killed by a police officer during a chase in February 2023.


News

After this week, the Cathy Hudgins Community Center at Southgate will be out of commission for the remainder of 2025.

The facility at 12125 Pinecrest Road in south Reston will close for about 20 weeks starting this Saturday (Aug. 16) to accommodate renovations, including a full heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system overhaul, according to the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS).


News

Three brothers have been sentenced to federal prison for participating in a series of armed robberies across the D.C. area, including two in Fairfax County.

The last of the three, 41-year-old Andre Joel White Jr., received his sentence last Thursday (Aug. 7), bringing an end to the years-long scheme, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced.


Announcement

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.


Around Town

The D.C. region’s annual Summer Restaurant Week is coming back next week, and around 30 restaurants around Fairfax County are joining in.

The restaurant week is run by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), which also organizes winter restaurant weeks. Restaurants offer three-course meals for brunch, lunch and dinner with some wine and cocktail pairings at some locations.


Event

Join us on September 19, 2026 at 9:00 AM (Eastern Daylight Time) at 12000 Government Center Pkwy for Pender’s First Annual Angel Fund 5K!

This fun community event supports the Angel Fund at Pender Veterinary Centre, which helps pet owners in Northern Virginia cover unexpected veterinary costs when finances are tight. For over 50 years, Pender Veterinary Centre has been proud to care for pets and their families, and this 5K is all about bringing everyone together to celebrate that bond.


News

Comstock Companies is nearing some significant milestones at Reston Row, the second phase of its Reston Station development near the Wiehle Metro station.

The developer expects to officially deliver the 1.6-million-square-foot district in the second half of 2025, starting with an anticipated fall launch for the new JW Marriott Reston Station Hotel and Residences, according to reported results for the second quarter of 2025, which were released last Thursday (Aug. 7).


News

A Chantilly man is facing multiple criminal charges for allegedly engaging in sexual acts with a 14-year-old.

The 50-year-old man was caught by the teen’s parents in a vehicle with their child on April 20, the Fairfax County Police Department said in a press release on Friday (Aug. 8).


News

Construction is getting underway on a partial revamp of the George Washington Memorial Parkway and Route 123 (Dolley Madison Blvd) interchange in McLean.

The ramps that connect southbound GW Parkway to westbound Route 123 and vice versa has closed starting today (Monday) so that work can begin on two new ramps, the National Park Service (NPS) announced last week.


Countywide
Summer afternoon at the Mosaic District in Merrifield (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Free Advice on Fighting Mosquitoes — “In Fairfax County, Virginia, the health department is working to ‘fight the bite’ of mosquitoes by visiting residents’ homes and providing advice on how to reduce the pests. Through Fairfax County’s free inspection program, Andy Lima visits homes and scours the property for mosquito havens.” [NBC4]

Man Dies After Jumping From High-Rise — “A man died Friday morning after jumping from a 15th-floor balcony while FBI agents were attempting to serve a criminal arrest warrant at the Alexander Apartments on King Street.” A neighbor told NBC4 that he “woke to the sound of banging” and shouts of “FBI” before hearing someone running and shouting “No! Don’t!” [ALXnow]

Clifton House Fire Extinguished — Fairfax County firefighters responded Saturday (Aug. 9) to “a house fire in the 13000 blk of Sturno Drive in the Clifton area of Fairfax County. Units arrived with fire showing from a rear deck attached to the home. Crews were able quickly extinguish the fire preventing any extension to the home. No firefighter or civilian injuries.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Dollar Tree Opening New Fairfax Store — “The new Dollar Tree store coming to the Shops at Fairfax/Boulevard Center is hiring sales associates and has hung a ‘Grand Opening’ sign … Located at 10700 Fairfax Blvd., the new Dollar Tree will be located adjacent to Panera Bread in the storefront formerly occupied by Party City.” [Patch]

Potomac River Water Supply Doing Well — “Above average rainfall in the area in May, June and July is contributing to the positive outlook and resulted in the drought watch for our area being dropped in late June, after being in place for more than a year … The seasonal outlook calls for a continued likelihood of above-normal rainfall.” [WTOP]

Metrobus Riders Weigh in on Changes — “The 51st heard about how it’s going from more than 30 bus riders who shared their experiences with the new system. The verdict? Well, it’s mixed. While some commuters say they’ve benefited from new connections and more frequent service, others say the overhaul has involved more confusion than clarity.” [The 51st]

Annandale Bowling Alley to Rebrand — “The Bowlero bowling alley in Annandale will soon be renamed Lucky Strike. The change follows the move by the Bowlero Corp. last December to rebrand as Lucky Strike Entertainment, reflecting its expanded mission to offer more than traditional bowling.” [Annandale Today]

Police Academy Welcomes New Recruits — On Friday (Aug. 8), “Assistant Chief Eli Cory welcomed 51 recruits at the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy, marking the start of their 25-week basic training and the initiation of their careers in law enforcement … Session 90 includes a diverse group of recruits and is comprised of individuals from all walks of life.” [FCPD]

It’s Monday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures peaking at around 88°F, accompanied by calm winds that will gradually shift to the southeast at around 6 mph in the afternoon. Towards Monday night, the sky will remain predominantly clear with lows settling at roughly 71°F and south winds blowing at a gentle 3 to 7 mph. [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 — Aug 8, 2025.

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

  • Pickup truck driver dies in fiery crash on I-66 near Fair Lakes (19453 views)
  • Fried chicken and burger chain eyes Reston for next location (10116 views)
  • Multiple people injured as high-speed police chase ends in crash off I-395 (8175 views)
  • Police: Man dies after crashing on electric skateboard in Oakton (8042 views)
  • Fairfax County no longer named a ‘sanctuary jurisdiction’ by Trump administration (5905 views)
  • Virginia AG Miyares to investigate Fairfax’s top prosecutor over abduction case (4948 views)
  • Whole Foods Market opens new, larger store in Reston (4397 views)
  • NEW: Fairfax police identify child found dead under Lorton bridge in 1972 (4105 views)
  • Family-owned bakery resurrected in Vienna with new Mediterranean focus (3978 views)
  • Cause of Reston house fire traced to rooftop solar panels (3773 views)
  • Number of Fairfax residents looking for work is up by a third from 2024 (3630 views)
  • Led by Tysons, Fairfax apartment rents continue rise, deviating from national trend (3583 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

    The weather will be sunny with a high of around 84 degrees and a mild northeast wind of 3 to 6 mph. Saturday night will be mostly clear with a low temperature near 62 degrees. A southeast wind of around 5 mph is expected, which will become calm in the evening. 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. 👋


    Announcement

    Reston Children’s Center announces that it is continuing to be a sponsor of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Reston Children’s Center has been part of the CACFP program since 1995.

    The same meals will be available at no separate charge to all participants at each CACFP facility without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.