Countywide

The next meeting of George Mason University’s Board of Visitors could be among the most heavily scrutinized in the Northern Virginia school’s 53-year history.

In addition to revisiting an anti-diversity-programs resolution that was tabled in May, the board is scheduled “to discuss the performance goals” of GMU President Gregory Washington during a closed session at its annual meeting tomorrow morning (Friday).


Around Town

Construction is underway on a new coffee shop in Reston.

Simply Social Coffee, which can currently be found in Vienna’s Cedar Park Shopping Center and next to Burlington Coat Factory just outside Fairfax City, has been working on a third location in Reston at 11511 Sunrise Valley Drive, Unit 9.


Announcement

While our Fall 1 season is in swing, we have some terrific opportunities for making art coming up soon. Our Fall 2 season runs late October through December, with six-week and three-week classes you’ll love. We have some new themes in the mix, including Acrylic Painting Fundamentals (adults) and Sculpting with Nature and Found Objects (4th-6th graders). Explore the wheel together at our parent-child ceramics class. And our perennials always shine: painting, drawing, ceramics, sewing, sculpture, and printmaking. Take a look now!

Fall 2 Session, Oct. 27-Dec. 20


Countywide
Sun glare over eastbound traffic on Main Street at Fairfax Blvd in Fairfax City (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

DCA Crash Probe Finds Chopper Issues — “Investigators probing the January midair collision of a passenger plane and an Army helicopter over Washington that killed 67 people found the chopper was flying higher than it should have been and its altitude readings were inaccurate.” [Associated Press/ARLnow]

Police Investigate Falls Church Spa — “After questions lingered for months from several homeowners about the spa’s operations, two misdemeanor charges were levied against the business owner of a Limited Liability Corporation registered to the spa’s address. Two neighbors on the 2700 block of Summerfield Road shared their observations of the Rose Spa on South Washington Street … anonymously in fear of possible retaliation.” [DC News Now]

Bugs Swarm D.C. Area — “A bug boom of ticks, lanternflies and mosquitoes is fueled by climate change and invasive species.” Congressional lawmakers introduced a bill last week to fund projects intended to control the spread of lanternflies, while emergency rooms nationwide saw a surge in tick-related visits this past May and June, according to CDC data. [Axios DC]

Sales Tax Holiday Starts Friday — “Virginia families have a chance to save money while getting ready for emergencies this August. The state’s annual three-day sales tax holiday runs from 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 1, through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 3.” School supplies are also exempt from state sales taxes through the weekend. [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

FCPD Concerned by Vape Store Burglaries — “Fairfax County police are issuing a public warning and urging Northern Virginia business owners to be vigilant after a string of burglaries involving kratom products … Police said they’re increasing awareness about the substance after a string of recent burglaries committed by the same person targeting Star Tobacco along Braddock Road. One robbery was in June and the other was earlier this month.” [WTOP]

Artists Wanted for Springfield Town Center — “ArtsFairfax is proud to partner with Springfield Town Center to present a public art opportunity for local artists in Fairfax County! Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in an art show that will receive high visibility and foot traffic.” Today (Thursday) at 7 p.m. is the deadline for artists to apply for the show, which is scheduled to run from October through March 2026. [ArtsFairfax/Instagram]

Tower Club Tysons Closes for Renovation — “As part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing your member experience, we’ve entered a major phase of renovations that includes flooring installation, concrete work, and extensive sanding throughout the Club … During this time, no member access will be permitted … We look forward to welcoming you back on Tuesday, August 5, when we reopen with normal hours.” [Tower Club Tysons/Instagram]

Win a Capybara Hangout Session — Reston’s NOVA Wild is holding a contest for its social media followers, offering a 20-minute “encounter” with its capybaras Nugget and Tater as a prize. Participants can enter by liking the zoo’s posts on Facebook and Instagram and tagging a friend. The winner will be announced on Aug. 12. [NOVA Wild/Facebook]

It’s Thursday — A slight chance of showers could turn into thunderstorms after 2 pm, with increasing clouds and a high near 94. Heat index values could reach 103. A 60% chance of rain will jump to 80% at night. Expect a low around 70, and possible rainfall amounts between three-quarters and one inch. [NWS]


Event

Join Breast Cancer Collective for the 2026 Walk to Bust Cancer on Sunday, October 18, at Fort Hunt Park in Alexandria.
Walk alongside survivors, caregivers, friends, families, and neighbors for an uplifting community event supporting access to breast cancer screening and care across the DMV.
Walk to Bust Cancer brings our community together to turn hope into action and help expand access to timely breast health care. Register to walk, gather your team, and join us at Fort Hunt Park.


Around Town

Good Wednesday 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 30, 2025.

📅 Upcoming events

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

⛈️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect increasing clouds with a high near 94 and heat index values up to 102. Showers and thunderstorms are likely after 2pm, with a 60% chance of precipitation and potential rainfall between a half and three quarters of an inch. Thursday night, showers and possible thunderstorms will occur before 2am, followed by a chance of showers and storms after 2am, with a low around 69. Southeast wind at 6 mph will become north after midnight, and the chance of precipitation rises to 80%, with possible rainfall between 1 and 2 inches. 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.


Countywide

Time is running out for Fairfax County homeowners to get a federal tax credit for adopting solar energy.

The reconciliation bill passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump on July 4 will eliminate a residential clean energy credit that lets residential property owners deduct 30% of the cost of installing rooftop solar panels, solar water heaters, geothermal heat pumps and other clean energy systems from their federal income taxes.


News

Despite a full-court press from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the future of its plan to extend express lanes on the south side of the Capital Beltway (I-495) remains up in the air as the deadline for a decision looms.

The project to add 11 miles of toll roads connecting Springfield with Prince George’s County over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge is a “critical” piece of transportation planning, a top VDOT official told members of the D.C. region’s Transportation Planning Board (TPB) on July 16.


News

Residents of Lake Anne in Reston are once again enduring a heat dome with limited relief after a crucial component of their cooling system failed.

A temporary rental pump installed in late June after residents reported experiencing temperatures of 85 degrees or higher during a heat wave has failed, Reston RELAC President Mark Waddell told customers in an email on Monday (July 28).


Around Town

DIY school TradeWorx Academy is bringing handiwork expertise to Fair Oaks Mall.

The new program is designed to teach homeowners the skills they need to tackle repair and remodeling projects or professionals honing their skills with hands-on experience.


Announcement

The museum’s annual Native Art Market features award-winning and innovative Indigenous artists from across the Western Hemisphere. This event invites lovers of art and craftsmanship to meet Indigenous artists and learn about the traditional arts and contemporary Indigenous creativity. Visitors will have the opportunity to purchase traditional and contemporary handcrafted artworks, including beadwork, jewelry, paintings, photography, pottery, and sculpture.