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. 👋


    News

    Fairfax County officials on Aug. 5 formally opened the Burke-Springfield Center for Active Adults, featuring more than 8,000 square feet of accessible space for a variety of programs.

    Located in a renovated former retail space, the facility at 7541 Huntsman Blvd in Springfield aims to support older adults (ages 50+) through wellness, connection and lifelong learning, said Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay.


    Announcement

    Alexandria, Virginia – October 1, 2026 – Body Imperium, an Old Town Alexandria strength-training studio, has announced that it is rebranding as Imperium Strength and Longevity, known simply as Imperium.

    The new name reflects the studio’s evolution from its Pilates origins into Alexandria’s only strength-training facility powered by ARX® (Adaptive Resistance Exercise) technology. The evolution of the business closely follows founder Victoria Azor’s personal experience building strength and longevity.


    News

    Capital Bikeshare is finally arriving in the Herndon and Huntington areas.

    The bicycle-sharing service operated by Lyft is rolling out 10 new docking stations around the Innovation Center and Huntington Metro stations earlier this month, years after they were initially proposed.


    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

    Hear ye, hear ye! If you’re one of those frustrated by the ticket kerfuffle tripping up the Maryland Renaissance Festival, perchance Tysons could interest you in a little Renn Fest of its own.

    Shipgarten is hosting its Summer Renaissance Festival next Saturday, Aug. 16, from 1-6 p.m. The festival will include presumably biergarten-sized variants of arrow shooting, axe throwing and jousting.


    Opinion

    Crab cakes, lobster rolls and fresh ceviche are just some of the options you’ll find at seafood restaurants across Fairfax County.

    Here are the nominees for “Best Seafood 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. 22.

    Voting for the Best Thai 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 Korean Restaurant in Fairfax. The results are now official:

    1. Meokja Meokja
    2. Honey Pig BBQ
    3. Kogiya Korean BBQ

    News

    A D.C.-based real estate firm is looking to redevelop more of the office buildings in McNair’s Woodland Park area just south of Herndon with housing.

    The Parkline at Woodland Park neighborhood would replace three “underperforming” office buildings at 2291 Wood Oak Drive with “much-needed opportunities for homeownership,” a legal representative for the Pinkard Group said in a July 30 statement to Fairfax County.


    Around Town

    The credits will soon start rolling on Sundance Living, though its fate won’t be as flashy as the one that awaited the heroes of its namesake movie.

    Apparently shutting down for good, the apparel and home decor chain founded by actor and director Robert Redford is holding closing sales online and at all its physical stores, including the lone Virginia location at the Mosaic District (2910 District Avenue, Suite 140) in Merrifield.


    News

    Portions of the Franconia Rec Center will close later this month through mid-September so that the Fairfax County Park Authority can upgrade air-quality systems in the facility.

    The work will include two full-building closures, slated for Wednesdays, Aug. 20 and Sept. 3. Backup days are scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 21 and Sept. 4.


    Announcement

    Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time for commemorating our ancestors. Rather than a period of mourning, it is an occasion for celebrating with family—both living and dead—and honoring the cycle of life. Learn about La Catrina and her joyful view of life and mortality. Enjoy family-friendly activities throughout the day, including dance performances, coloring activities, and paper marigold and mask making. Visitors are invited to leave photos and mementos of their loved ones on the ofrenda (altar) or commemorate them by writing their names on a butterfly to attach to the memorial arch.

    SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: