Houston, we have a problem.
President Donald Trump’s federal tax and spending bill allows for, among other things, the relocation of the Space Shuttle Discovery from the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly to the Johnson Space Center in Texas.
The I-495 Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project will introduce another change to the traffic patterns in McLean tonight (Wednesday).
Construction crews are scheduled to begin work this week on an extension of the northbound I-495 (Capital Beltway Inner Loop) ramp to southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway (GW Parkway), requiring the highway to be narrowed.
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.
Unhealthy Air Expected — The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) is forecasting a Code Orange air day today (Wednesday) in D.C., Northern Virginia and parts of Maryland, meaning the air will be unhealthy for older adults, children and other sensitive groups. A Heat Advisory will also take effect from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. due to expected extreme heat. [COG]
ICE Arrests in Fairfax Courthouse — “Pictures shared with News4 by witnesses appear to show ICE agents detaining multiple people inside the Fairfax County courthouse, which is new within the last couple of weeks, according to the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office.” The sheriff’s office says its deputies haven’t assisted with any arrests, but they “may stay in the vicinity of the agents in case there is a security issue.” [NBC4]
Fairfax Judge Blocks University Board Appointees — “A Fairfax County Circuit Court judge on Tuesday granted a temporary injunction suspending eight gubernatorial appointees from serving on governing boards at the University of Virginia, Virginia Military Institute and George Mason, the latest development to rock Virginia’s higher education landscape this summer.” [Virginia Mercury]
Springfield Woman Killed in Crash — Cassandra Ann Signet, a 22-year-old woman from Springfield, “was killed in a Monday afternoon tractor-trailer crash on Vint Hill Road in Nokesville. Police said the driver of a 2016 Jeep Renegade was making a left turn from Owls Nest Road onto westbound Vint Hill Road at 12:53 p.m., when the SUV crossed paths in front of an International HV507 truck traveling east.” Signet, who was driving the Jeep, died at the scene, Prince William County police said. [Inside NoVA]
Inova Tops Hospitals Ranking — “For the fifth year in a row, Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church has taken the top spot for Virginia and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region on U.S. News and World Report‘s annual list of the nation’s best hospitals.” Arlington-based VHC Health, which has been expanding its Fairfax County presence recently, came in fourth in Virginia. [Virginia Business]
Protest Against Social Security Layoffs — “Although the temperature in Reston at 10 a.m. on Tuesday was 87 degrees, a small group of demonstrators had gathered along Sunrise Valley Drive to protest the layoffs of thousands of Social Security Administration employees since the Trump administration took office in January.” The local Defend Democracy Indivisible group has organized protests outside the office at 10800 Parkridge Blvd every Tuesday since April 4. [Patch]
Free Speech Advocates Question Social Media Law — “A new Virginia law requiring a child under the age of 16 who meets certain criteria must be compensated when taking part in content creation, known as SB 998, went into effect July 1. The law aims to protect young people from being exploited by adults in creating popular social media content … But according to experts, there may be some unintended consequences as well.” [WTOP]
Free Food Promo From Annandale Eatery — “Residents are invited to drop by L&L Hawaiian Barbecue in Annandale on Friday, Aug. 8, for a free Spam musubi from noon to 2 p.m. Aug. 8 is annual SPAM® Musubi Day, a holiday launched by L&L and officially established by the governor of Hawaii in 2021. The date, 8/08, pays homage to Hawaii’s 808 area code.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny, hot conditions with temperatures reaching a high near 98 and heat index values up to 103. A calm wind will shift to 5 to 7 mph from the south in the afternoon. For Wednesday night, it will be mostly clear with a low of around 77 and a south wind at 6 mph. [NWS]
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.
Good Tuesday 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 — Jul 29, 2025.
- 5:30 am: Notice: Hearing for William H. Randall Estates Historic District | 🗣️ Comments
- 7:30 am: Morning Notes for July 29, 2025 | 🗣️ Comments
- 8:30 am: Fairfax County Carnival and Fair brings summer fun for 75th year this week | 🗣️ Comments
- 9:15 am: Vienna home builder plans mixed-use project with condos, future HQ | 🗣️ Comments
- 10:00 am: Fairfax City defers vote on Courthouse Plaza redevelopment in search of compromise | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:45 am: FCPS Pride urges schools not to comply with federal anti-trans demands | 🗣️ Comments
- 1:45 pm: Divided Fairfax City Council breathes new life into Pickett Road Connector Trail | 🗣️ Comments
- 2:45 pm: Walkinshaw, Whitson spar over federal worker cuts, ICE in candidate forum | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:45 pm: First Republican enters potential Braddock District supervisor special election | 🗣️ Comments
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Wednesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
- 7:00 pm: Sunset Concerts: IONA
☀️ Wednesday’s forecast
Expect sunny and hot conditions with a high nearing 98, and heat index values reaching up to 105. A calm wind will shift southward at 5 to 7 mph during the afternoon. Overnight, a mostly clear sky will accompany a low temperature of around 76, with a gentle south breeze at around 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.
Add to Calendar
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.
Local Republicans have their first candidate for a potential vacancy on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
Ken Balbuena, who bills himself as a “common sense community leader,” announced his candidacy today (Tuesday) for Braddock District supervisor — should incumbent James Walkinshaw win election to Congress.
The two major party candidates seeking to represent Virginia’s 11th Congressional District made their case to voters yesterday (Monday).
Speaking at the Reston Community Center in Hunters Woods, Democrat James Walkinshaw and Republican Stewart Whitson discussed a variety of topics ahead of September’s special general election.
Three months after it was put on hold, a divided Fairfax City Council has brought the $6 million Pickett Road Connector Trail project back to life.
After Mayor Catherine Read cast the tiebreaker in a 4-3 vote last week, planning will restart on the proposed 1,260-foot trail running south from Fairfax Blvd to Thaiss Memorial Park on the east side of Pickett Road.
FCPS Pride is urging Northern Virginia school districts to hold their ground after the Department of Education accused the schools’ trans-inclusive policies of violating Title IX.
Last week, the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) found Fairfax County Public Schools and nearby Arlington, Alexandria, Prince William and Loudoun school divisions in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The findings argue that letting students use bathrooms and other facilities consistent with their gender identity constitutes discrimination on the basis of sex.
Plans to redevelop the Courthouse Plaza Shopping Center near Old Town Fairfax were put on hold last week, giving city officials and the developer more time to find compromises on the overall proposal.
“Being good partners requires flexibility not just from the developer, but from the city as well,” Fairfax City Councilmember Anthony Amos said at the July 22 meeting, where council members voted 5-1 to defer final consideration until Oct. 28.
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.