Some significant changes could be coming to the transportation network around the West Falls Church Metro station in Idylwood later this year.
The developers enlisted by Metro to transform the transit station’s parking lots into a mixed-use community anticipate starting construction on promised infrastructure improvements this summer, according to EYA Executive Vice President of Acquisition and Development Evan Goldman.
The future of an acclaimed program that gives local students real-world construction management skills may hinge on finding enough open space to build more houses.
At a June 24 meeting, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay urged his colleagues to scout for potential tracts of land to continue the collaboration between Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), the Foundation for Applied Technical Education (FATE) and industry partners.
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.
The Washington Business Journal did a little snooping and discovered that McLean’s own Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is buying up a new office in Dulles.
The Journal reported on Friday (June 27) that the CIA — appropriately through a pseudonym but linked to the same exclusive ZIP code — has purchased the 434,000-square-foot Dulles Discovery 2 office building at 13870 Air and Space Museum Parkway.
For homeschooling families, finding activities that fit a non-traditional school day can be a challenge. EvolveAll, the martial arts and fitness studio that’s served the local community for more than 15 years, is addressing that gap with a new Homeschool Youth Martial Arts (YMA) program.
The program runs Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:15 to 2:00 PM and follows EvolveAll’s established YMA curriculum, which focuses on discipline, focus, coordination, and self-defense fundamentals for kids ages 5 to 10. Classes are led by EvolveAll’s head YMA Instructor Mr. Christian, who has over a decade of instructing experience. The class size is capped to keep the student-to-instructor ratio low.
New State Laws in Effect — “Many laws that were passed by the General Assembly during the 2025 legislative session take effect in Virginia on Tuesday, July 1.” Starting today, all adult passengers must wear a seat belt, social media app users have to verify their age, and suppliers can no longer hide fees, among other changes. [Fairfax County Government]
Police Called to Stabbing Near Skyline — Detectives are investigating a stabbing reported Sunday (June 29) at 6:03 a.m. in the 3800 block of South George Mason Drive. The victim, who called 911 himself, was taken to a hospital with stab wounds initially deemed life-threatening but later downgraded to non-life-threatening. As of yesterday afternoon, no information on a possible suspect was available. [FCPD]
Neighborhood Objects to School Boundary Proposal — “Families from a couple of neighborhoods off Sherwood Hall Lane are voicing their objections to draft boundary changes proposed by Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).” One change would eliminate an attendance island at Whitman Middle School but require more travel time for some elementary and high school students, families say. [On the MoVe]
Regional Rail Expansion Proposed — “Maryland is reviving plans to expand MARC, its regional rail service, into Delaware and Virginia and add more trains every hour, even as the state struggles to fund its current transit system.” A proposal released last week would add service from Wilmington, Delaware, to Alexandria on top of more frequent trips from D.C. to Baltimore and Frederick. [Washington Post]
Capital One-Discover Merger Complete — “McLean-based Capital One Financial completed its $35.3 billion acquisition of Discover Financial Services in May, finalizing the merger of the credit card giants announced last year … The all-stock acquisition, Capital One’s largest ever purchase, was under regulatory scrutiny.” [Virginia Business]
Meet Head of Reston Video Game Studio — “Kristin Wood, a longtime senior intelligence officer at the CIA, left the famed spy agency in 2015 after 26 years to pursue private-sector ventures.” She now serves as CEO at August Interactive, a Reston video game development and entertainment studio that’s currently working on its first title — code-named “Operation Fiero” and set for release in early 2027. [Biz Women]
Falls Church Trash Talks Progress — “The ad-hoc task force studying trash collection options in Falls Church continues to refine ideas as a key deadline draws ever nearer … The City Council created the panel as part of considerations on moving away from current practice of paying for single-family trash collection through general taxes.” [ARLnow]
Tiny Music Festival Underway in Fairfax City — “You’re probably familiar with NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts — but have you heard about the Tiny Music Fest? This new, free monthly event series takes a small parking lot in Old Town Fairfax and transforms it into a musical destination.” The monthly concerts started in May and will continue through September. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Tuesday — Expect showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 91. Precipitation chances are 80%, with potential rainfall between a quarter and half an inch. Tonight, the chance of precipitation drops to 60% with a low of 71. [NWS]
Event location
Harris Pavilion
9201 Center Street
Manassas, Virginia 20110
Manassas Latino Festival is the oldest Hispanic/Latino, family-centric festival in the area! Held during National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), join in the celebrations with live music, dance performances, diverse foods, and fun for the whole family! Come enjoy this premier annual tradition filled with cultural heritage and contributions of the Latin American community.
Good Monday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Jun 30, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Tuesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Expect showers and thunderstorms, some with heavy rainfall, throughout the day and evening with an 80% chance of precipitation and high near 91. Southwest winds will reach 7-9 mph, gusting up to 21 mph. Rainfall amounts between a quarter and half an inch are possible. Tonight, the chance of precipitation drops to 60%, with showers and thunderstorms likely before 2 am, followed by a chance of showers. The low will be around 70, and southwest winds will decrease to 3-6 mph. New rainfall amounts may vary between a half and three quarters of an inch. See more from Weather.gov.
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.
Control of state government in 2026 will hinge on which political party better connects with voters’ top concerns in coming months.
That’s the view of Del. Marcus Simon (D-13), speaking at a June 28 forum sponsored by NAACP’s Northern Virginia branches.
Local police arrested a Centreville man last week after finding that he had allegedly exposed himself multiple times in the Greenbriar area near Fair Lakes.
Most recently, a victim told officers on April 24 that they saw “a man expose himself” before running away. Officers responded at 4:10 p.m. to the intersection of Maple Run Lane and Middle Ridge Drive for the report, the Fairfax County Police Department said in a press release today (Monday).
It can be hard to pinpoint where Gerry Connolly ends and where James Walkinshaw begins.
Walkinshaw appeared to have no reservations about leaning into his close ties to the longtime representative for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District in his bid to succeed his political mentor and former boss.
With summer in full swing, Public Art Reston has a new activity for families looking to take in both the outdoors and some culture.
The nonprofit launched its first Public Art Scavenger Hunt last week, offering prizes to anyone who visits and shares photos with the many artworks installed throughout the community.
