Apartment rental rates across Fairfax County continue to rise, even as national costs are falling.
All seven county corridors tracked by Apartment List showed year-over-year increases in July, according to new data reported last Wednesday (July 30).
Walker Road Reopens — The new Walker Road bridge reopened “to traffic late Friday night, Aug. 1. Remaining project work, which includes grinding the bridge deck smooth and finishing the shoulders, guardrail and the asphalt approaches, will occur via weekday daytime lane closures. Final project completion is scheduled late this fall.” [VDOT]
Homeless People Found Dead — “Three apparently homeless people died on the streets in Annandale on July 29, the Fairfax County Police Department confirms. Officers responded to a report of two people unresponsive outside the Goodwill store at 7031 Columbia Pike at 6:45 a.m. They discovered an adult male and an adult female deceased.” A third person was found deceased behind the 7-Eleven an hour later. [Annandale Today]
Tysons Firm Hired to Build Ballroom — “On July 31, The White House announced its plan to build a new ballroom. The $200 million project will begin next month and is expected to be completed before the end of President Donald Trump’s term … McLean-based Clark Construction is on board to build the ballroom.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Pet Dies in Apartment Fire — “#FairfaxsBravest are on scene of a 2-alarm garden-style apartment fire in the 7900 blk of Charles Thomson Ln in Annandale. Units arrived to smoke/fire showing & located a fire on the 3rd floor. Fire is under control. No injuries. Sadly 1 pet was found deceased. 14 units affected.” [FCFRD/X]
Football Coaches Put on Leave — “Two football coaches at Fairfax High School in Virginia have been placed on leave, following allegations of recruitment violations last school year. The allegations come less than one month before the season’s kickoff on Aug. 28.” FCPS says it’s working with independent investigators on the issue, which embroiled Hayfield Secondary School last year. [WTOP]
Gaza Protest in Vienna — “A group of citizens met at Peterson Lane Park, 599 Malcolm Road, NW, for a planned protest [on July 25]. The protestors walked from Malcolm to Lawyers Road, and then to the area of Colin Lane, NW, protesting the events in Gaza. The citizens were using bullhorns and other items to create noise. They were warned of the violation of using a portable public address system and that it was also a violation to protest a residence.” [Vienna Police]
County Offers Back-to-School Vaccine Clinics — “The Fairfax County Health Department’s back-to-school immunization clinics begin Friday, August 1 from 1-4 pm at the Joseph Willard Health Center and Mount Vernon District Office clinics. Appointments are encouraged but walk-ins are also welcome.” [Fairfax County Health Department]
Twin Peaks Cast Visits Tysons — “Thirty-five years after that first premiere, the two cast members and executive producer Sabrina S. Sutherland (who worked as production coordinator on the original series and executive producer on Twin Peaks: The Return) are going on a cross-country tour to chat with fans and share stories … On Monday, Aug. 4, the group stops at Capital One Hall in Tysons.” [Washington City Paper]
Middle Eastern Food Festival Returning — “Holy Transfiguration Melkite Greek-Catholic Church in McLean is preparing for a celebration of culture, cuisine, and community at the 32nd Annual Middle Eastern Food Festival on Aug. 30 and 31. Attendees can enjoy Middle Eastern favorites such as Kibbeh, Shish Kabob, Roast Lamb, Falafel, and more.” [Patch]
It’s Monday — Expect a sunny day ahead with a high temperature of approximately 87 degrees. The calm morning wind will transition to an easterly 6 mph breeze in the afternoon. As night falls, the sky will become partly cloudy and the temperature will drop to around 66 degrees. The southeast wind of 5 mph will subside and become calm as the evening progresses. [NWS]
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.
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 1, 2025.
- 7:30 am: Morning Notes for August 1, 2025 | 🗣️ Comments
- 8:30 am: Man sentenced to jail, fined after viral drag race in Tysons | 🗣️ Comments
- 9:15 am: Invasive hydrilla plant resurfaces at Lake Thoreau in Reston | 🗣️ Comments
- 10:00 am: Incoming Woodson High student makes mark in world of historical research | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:40 am: JUST IN: Man dies in Fairfax County jail hours after arrest | 🗣️ Comments
- 1:45 pm: New mental health clinic opening in Fair Oaks offers ‘alternative’ treatments | 🗣️ Comments
- 2:45 pm: Fired federal workers voice frustrations in Walkinshaw-hosted roundtable | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:45 pm: Fairfax County School Board student rep wants consistency in enforcing phone restrictions | 🗣️ Comments
Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Saturday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
- 10:00 am: Family Fun Entertainment Series: Guava Jelly
- 5:00 pm: Author Barbara Carroll Roberts at Bards Alley
- 8:30 pm: Stargazing
Here are the events planned for Sunday:
- 4:00 pm: First Annual NOVA High School Coaches Kickoff Event
- 7:00 pm: Sunday Art in the Park: Resonating Together: A Violin & Cello Duet
☀️ Saturday’s forecast
The weather will be mostly sunny with a high near 80 and a northeast wind at around 7 mph. Saturday night will see mostly clear skies, a low of approximately 61, and an east wind at 5 mph, 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. 👋
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.
The new student representative to the Fairfax County School Board is urging school leaders to enforce consistent standards, now that new restrictions on student phone use are being rolled out countywide.
Starting with the upcoming 2025-2026 school year, Fairfax County Public Schools will prohibit students in all grades from using their cell phones at any point during the day — with the exception of high school students during lunch. Teachers can also no longer incorporate phones into instructional activities.
Add to Calendar
Communities are how we actually experience Congress's impact on our lives. Congressional Communities is hosting a free public briefing making the case for putting communities, instead of districts, at the center of how members of Congress, their staff, and we ourselves think about representation. Speakers Warren Glimpse (ProximityOne) and Dan Carracino (Congressional Communities) will use Virginia's 8th District as a real-world example.
It’s been a rough six months for federal government workers, and few places in the country have been hit as hard by layoffs as Fairfax County.
Based on 2023 Census estimates, approximately 80,000 people — or 13% of the county’s entire workforce — are employed by the federal government, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority reported this spring. But with drastic cuts initiated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in recent months, that number has likely plummeted.
A mental health care provider is charting new territory in Virginia.
Serenity Mental Health Centers will open a clinic in the Fair Oaks area next week, its first in the state. A temporary clinic will launch at 12150 Monument Drive, Suite 375, on Monday (Aug. 4), with a permanent location following later in Suite 815, also in the One Monument Place office building.
An Alexandria man died yesterday (Thursday) at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, the second death to occur in the jail this year.
Omar Maknassi, 32, was arrested and transported to the jail on Wednesday evening (July 30), but early the following morning, a Fairfax County sheriff’s deputy found him unresponsive in the cell where he was being held, according to statements from the sheriff’s office and Fairfax County Police Department.
From drunken noodles to pad see ew, Thai restaurants across Fairfax County offer a variety of flavorful staple dishes.
Here are the nominees for “Best Thai Restaurant in Fairfax” as part of our FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. See your favorite place below? If not, write them in!
Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 8:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 15.
Voting for the Best Korean Restaurant in Fairfax is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 9 a.m.
Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best Art Gallery in Fairfax. The results are now official:
- Vienna Arts Society
- Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art
- Reston Community Center
She’s not yet in high school, but Caroline Tso already is being heralded as an accomplished historical researcher.
Tso, who will enter Carter G. Woodson High School as a ninth-grader in August, created the exhibition “The Family Tea House: Where Culture and Cuisine Met in Arlington” as part of a project for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
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.