Around Town

Japanese restaurant Japomen, a popular sushi and ramen spot outside the Dunn Loring Metro station in Merrifield, is heading further south in Fairfax County.

Japomen is under construction in the Hilltop Village Center in Kingstowne at 6460 Old Beulah Street. It will fill a space previously occupied by DonutChew between Mattress Warehouse and Deka Lash.


Around Town

Update — Tous les Jours is now open at the Row at Reston Station after a soft launch at 10 a.m. today (Aug. 14). A grand opening celebration with promotions and giveaways is expected in September, property owner Comstock Companies says.

Earlier: Reston Station residents and visitors will soon have a new option for getting their morning coffee or an afternoon snack.


Countywide

The number of Fairfax County residents seeking employment is up by a third year-over-year in new state data, as Northern Virginia continues to grapple with the Trump administration’s slashing of federal government jobs.

A total of 23,561 county residents were reported as looking for work in June’s unemployment figures, provided to FFXnow by state officials on Monday (Aug. 4).


News

The National Park Service is upgrading 14 of the water fountains along the Mount Vernon Trail and George Washington Memorial Parkway.

The newly upgraded fountains include new water bottle fillers, an amenity that the park services hopes will encourage more trail users to bring reusable bottles.


Event

It’s time to get festive. In partnership with Angelika Film Center, the Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan is rolling into Mosaic to kick off the season! Take photos with the iconic Coca-Cola Polar Bear and see the truck before it heads to the next stop on its nationwide tour.

Catch Elf on the big screen, enjoy kids activities and face painting, send a letter to Santa and soak up all the festive fun!


News

A man died over the weekend after crashing while riding an electric skateboard on Chain Bridge Road (Route 123) in Oakton, police say.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, its officers were dispatched to the Chain Bridge and Hibbard Street intersection at 2:51 p.m. on Saturday (Aug. 2) after receiving “a report of an accident involving a motorized skateboard.”


Around Town

South Block is plotting another expansion in Fairfax County.

The regional juice and smoothie chain has leased one of the new storefronts created out of the former Whole Foods space at Idylwood Plaza. Signage announcing that South Block is “coming soon” recently appeared at the shopping center.


News

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD) has confirmed that a recent house fire in Reston was sparked by an electrical issue related to its rooftop solar panels.

Firefighters were dispatched to the 2300 block of Colts Brook Drive around 6 p.m. on Sunday (Aug. 3) for the blaze, which could be seen around the solar panels when they arrived, the FCFRD said yesterday (Monday) in a blog post.


Countywide
Pedestrian bridge over I-66 to the Vienna Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Falls Church Getting First Roundabout — “Construction work on the first traffic circle in Falls Church is gearing up. Signs are in place for the project at S. Maple Avenue and Annandale Road, which will convert the existing four-way stop with traffic lights into what transportation planners hope will be a better travel experience.” [ARLnow]

DCA Crash Review Could Change Air Travel — “The National Transportation Safety Board is now reviewing three days of testimony from last week’s public hearings into the Jan. 29 midair collision near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people. One of the country’s leading aviation safety analysts believes that sweeping changes are likely to come not only to the operations near DCA, but to the entire aviation system as a result of this crash.” [WTOP]

Vacant Tysons Parcel Up for Auction — “The vacant 1.8-acre lot at 8346 Leesburg Pike on a map — technically 8350 Leesburg Pike in property records — will be auctioned off Sept. 4, according to Alex Cooper Inc., the auctioneer.” Owned by an affiliate of NVCommercial Inc, the parcel was slated to become two high-rises — one with a hotel and housing over retail and another with apartments and a “public facility” over retail — under the Tysons Central plan approved by Fairfax County in 2013. [Washington Business Journal]

Dolphins in Chesapeake Bay — “The researchers had found their subjects: Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins that call the waters around Chesapeake Bay home. Researchers estimate at least 500 to 600 of these dolphins have regularly visited the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay over the past decade, with one sighting dating back to the 19th century.” [Washington Post]

Popular Tysons Cafe Expands — “Shotted Specialty Coffee, a Saudi-inspired coffee bar, has opened its newest location at 7380 Atlas Walk, Gainesville, VA. This is the fourth Shotted location, joining ones at Tysons Corner Center, Tysons Galleria and Dulles Town Center.” [Patch]

Police Celebrate National Night Out — “RA members are invited to join their neighbors in celebrating National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 5, with two free events focused on building community spirit and strengthening partnerships with local law enforcement. Reston Association is proud to support both events, which are open to the public and offer fun, food and family-friendly activities.” Other events are planned at Fairfax County’s community centers, the Mosaic District, Annandale Shopping Center and elsewhere. [Reston Association]

Final Events at The Block — “The Block food hall has scheduled a few final events before it shuts down for good at the end of the month. The venue is hosting an ‘everything-must-go thrift pop-up’ every Tuesday, 5-9:30 p.m., on Aug. 5, 12, 19, and 26. On Aug. 16, it’s ‘Last Call at The Block,’ featuring Arylia, DJ Knom, and DJ Adobo, 10 p.m.-2 a.m.” [Annandale Today]

More Stops Added to Discovery Trail Challenge — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is proud to announce that three exciting new sites have been added to the odyssey! Discover hidden wildlife hotspots at Huntley Meadows, step into a bygone era at Grist Mill Park’s historic barn and check out Mount Vernon Rec Center’s brand-new recreation facilities.” [FCPA]

It’s Tuesday — Expect mostly cloudy skies with a high near 84 and calm winds shifting to an easterly 6 mph breeze in the afternoon. Tuesday night will see similar cloud cover, alongside a low of 69 and a southeast wind at 5 mph, diminishing to calm winds later in the evening. [NWS]


Legal Notice

The VA Dept of Historic Resources will conduct a public information hearing of the William H. Randall Estates Historic District on Tuesday, August 12, 2025. The meeting begins at 6:30 pm and will be held at Martha Washington Library, Room 104A, 6614 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria, VA 22307. Public comment regarding the proposal will be taken at the time of the hearing or can be sent to Director Julie Langan, Dept of Historic Resources, 2801 Kensington Ave, Richmond, VA 23221. This proposal has been recommended eligible for the Virginia Landmarks and National Registers. This proposal will be presented to the State Review Board and the Board of Historic Resources on September 18, 2025. For additional information, contact Amanda Terrell at Amanda Terrell@dhr.virginia.gov or 804-482-8092.

Please address the bill for this notice to Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Fiscal Department, 2801 Kensington Avenue. Phone 804-482-6446/Email: fiscal@dhr.virginia.gov