Around Town

Good Thursday 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 14, 2025.

📅 Upcoming events

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

⛈️ Friday’s forecast

Expect a slight chance of showers from 1-2pm, followed by a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. The day will be mostly sunny with a high near 88 and a light northeast wind at 3-6 mph. There’s a 30% chance of precipitation. For Friday night, there’s a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, and a slight chance of showers from 11pm-2am. The night will be partly cloudy with a low around 71, an east wind at 3-6 mph, and a 20% chance of precipitation. 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.


Around Town

The dog days of summer have arrived, and they’re about to get more literal in Reston.

As is tradition, Reston Association (RA) is bringing back its annual Dog Paddle series to close out the 2025 aquatics season, which began on May 10 and will conclude on Sept. 21.


News

A long-vacant plot of land on Fairfax Circle will soon be home to an urban agriculture startup.

Area 2 Farms will be setting up shop at 9571 Fairfax Blvd in Fairfax City by the end of this year, Fairfax City Economic Development announced yesterday (Wednesday).


Announcement

A Bison Celebration is part of the Smithsonian Institution’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The Bison Celebration will be a full day event that brings together organizations, scholars, scientists and filmmakers to celebrate the past, present, and future of North America’s largest land mammal. Through captivating films and thought-provoking panel discussions, the museum will explore the bison’s vital role in restoring grassland ecosystems and its deep spiritual connection to Tribal nations.


News

The family of an Alexandria man who was killed in a crash on Little River Turnpike earlier this month has launched an online fundraiser to help with the funeral costs.

Angel Benito Matom Velasco, 19, was walking in the road’s eastbound lanes past the Beauregard Street intersection in Lincolnia shortly after midnight on Aug. 1 when he was hit by the driver of a 2003 Lincoln Town Car, the Fairfax County Police Department says.


Event

Join Comunidad for its Annual 5Dollar5K—a fun, family-friendly race that brings neighbors together in support of local children, teens, and families in Falls Church and Arlington. Run, walk, or cheer from the sidelines, and bring the little ones for a special Kids’ Dash! Registration is just $5, and children ages 12 and under participate for free. Comunidad is a community development organization based in the Seven Corners area of Falls Church. We hope you'll join us and together help us build comunidad!


Around Town

Acclaimed musicians representing a range of genres, from rock and country to jazz and classical music, are coming to The Barns at Wolf Trap to celebrate the venue’s 300th anniversary.

The Barns are rebuilt and renovated iterations of a pair of barns at the site, built in the 18th century. The larger German barn was built in 1725 and features a “unique” swing beam design that enabled horses to maneuver in the building’s original hayloft, according to the venue’s website.


Around Town

A popular bakery and cafe chain around the D.C. area is planning on opening its latest Fairfax-area location later this month.

Tatte Bakery & Cafe has targeted Aug. 27 to open its new cafe in Fairfax City, according to signage posted outside the building.


News

Allegations that Fairfax County Public Schools employees helped students obtain abortions without their parents’ consent have drawn Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s attention after circulating for days on right-wing media.

The Republican governor directed the Virginia State Police yesterday (Wednesday) to open a criminal investigation into FCPS based on the report, which was originally published in the Substack-based newsletter WC Dispatch.


News

With Fairfax County Public Schools resuming classes next Monday (Aug. 18), Reston Regional Library will host a book sale to help students and their teachers prepare.

The Friends of Reston Regional Library is kicking off its biannual Kids Back to School Book Sale at 10 a.m. today (Thursday). Volunteers have been working since April to sort, clean and prepare “tens of thousands of books” for the sale, the group says.


Countywide
Raining at the Inova Center for Personalized Health in Merrifield (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Virginia Loses Solar Power Funding — “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded Virginia $156 million last year through Solar for All, a $7 billion program launched under the Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden’s signature climate legislation.” After the Trump administration announced last week that it’s canceling the grant funding, Virginia Energy confirmed that it received a termination notice and removed the program’s webpage. [WHRO]

Firefighters Injured in Springfield House Fire — A two-alarm house fire in the 5900 block of Amherst Avenue on July 27 was caused by an “electrical event” on the home’s patio, the Office of the Fire Marshal found. Two firefighters and one resident were treated for injuries, and two pets were found dead inside the home. The fire resulted in an estimated $697,986 in property damages. [FCFRD]

N. Va. Hit Hardest by Federal Worker Cuts — The D.C. region has shed roughly “20,000 federal government jobs so far this year while federal government contracts and grants procured by companies in the region fell by $1.7 billion or 13% since the start of the year, according to CBRE’s research.” Northern Virginia saw the biggest drop in federal employment, while contract and grant terminations have especially shaken suburban Maryland. [Washington Business Journal]

Beyer Primary Challenger Emerges — “Former Alexandria City Councilman Mohamed “Mo” Seifeldein announced Tuesday to reporters that he will seek the Democratic nomination for Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, challenging five-term incumbent Rep. Don Beyer and positioning himself as a voice for economic change.” [ALXnow]

Fairfax City Police Chief Sworn In — “Raul Pedroso, Fairfax City’s new chief of police, was sworn in Monday during a ceremony at the Stacey C. Sherwood Community Center, which is located just across the parking lot from police headquarters.” Formerly an assistant police chief in Alexandria City, he took over from interim chief Capt. Natalie Hinesley after former Chief Erin Schaible retired. [Patch]

No More Flights to New Delhi — “Air India … is pulling out of Dulles International Airport as it suspends nonstop service to New Delhi next month despite recent passenger growth along the route.” Set to end on Sept. 1, the three-times-a-week route is the only nonstop option between the D.C. region and the Indian subcontinent. The airline says the change was needed due to a $400 million process to update some of its Boeing aircraft and Pakistan’s closure of its airspace to Indian carriers. [WBJ]

Pro Women’s Baseball League Holds Tryouts — “The first women’s professional baseball league in more than 70 years is hosting historic tryouts in D.C. next week … Women’s pro sports are surging nationwide — and the new Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) is among the few with DMV ties.” [Axios DC]

It’s Thursday — Expect showers and thunderstorms after 2pm, with mostly sunny skies and a high near 89. Light northwest winds of 3 to 6 mph, and a 30% chance of precipitation. On Thursday night, a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, followed by a slight possibility of showers until 2am. Partly cloudy skies with a low around 73 and light, variable winds. [NWS]