Rep. Gerald “Gerry” Connolly, an influential Democratic voice for nearly 30 years as a local and national legislator, has died. He was 75.
Connolly, who represented Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, died this morning (Wednesday) at his Mantua home of esophageal cancer, an illness he had battled on-and-off since November 2024, his family announced.
Memorial Day is coming up next Monday (May 26) with several commemorations and festivities planned around the region to mark the long weekend.
One of the biggest local events is ViVa Vienna, an annual celebration organized by the Rotary Club of Vienna.
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GW Parkway Reopens After Storm — “The National Park Service (NPS) plans to reopen the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) before the Wednesday morning rush hour.” A 2.5-mile stretch of the parkway south of Alexandria had been closed since a storm on Friday (May 16) brought down or damaged more than 50 trees. [NPS]
Fairfax Man Killed in ATV Crash — “Police are investigating after a man was killed and a woman was seriously hurt in an ATV collision in Brandywine over the weekend.” Prince George’s County police say the crash on May 17 involved an ATV driver, identified as a 35-year-old man from Fairfax, crashing into a pickup truck and trailer. [DC News Now]
Metro to Roll Out Tap-to-Pay Option — Metro is currently testing a system at some stations that will allow riders to pay by tapping a credit or debit card. “An official launch is on the way, Metro general manager Randy Clarke posted recently: ‘Stay tuned for more details later this month.'” [Axios DC]
Meeting on Braddock Road Improvements — The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will share the results of a study of the “S-curve portion of Braddock Road” at 7 p.m. today (Wednesday) in a virtual public information meeting. The study looked at potential improvements between Pleasant Valley Road and Old Lee Road, and at the Braddock Road and Old Lee Road intersection. [VDOT]
Food Hall Nears Grand Opening — “Pop-Up District recently opened [at Eden Center in Falls Church] with a limited lineup that includes Vietnamese, Korean, and Thai food vendors, plus a coffee shop and bakery. When its grand opening arrives in June, expect expanded menus, a Japanese-inspired bar, rotating retail pop-ups, DJ nights, and hours stretching from 8 AM to 2 AM.” [Washingtonian]
Fairfax City Pub Celebrates 20 Years — “City of Fairfax business leaders and elected officials presented a plaque to the owners of The Auld Shebeen Irish Pub & Restaurant on Saturday, honoring their 20 years of making memories in Old Town.” [Patch]
WaPo Reviews McLean Restaurant — “Supisa Teawboot figured she’d sell a lot of pad thai when she opened Sorn Thai in McLean in March. Patrons surprised her when they ordered more kanom jeen namya instead. The entrée, rice noodles with fish curry, is … a lovely introduction to a Thai restaurant unlike any other in Northern Virginia.” [Washington Post]
It’s Wednesday — Expect showers with a high near 60°F. There’s a 100% chance of precipitation, potentially accumulating between a quarter and half an inch. At night, the low will be around 56°F, with a 70% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
Good Tuesday 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 — May 20, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Wednesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Expect showers and possible thunderstorms after 2pm, with a high near 59 and east winds of 11-13 mph, gusting up to 22 mph. Precipitation is guaranteed, with rainfall amounts up to half an inch. Wednesday night, anticipate showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, followed by likely showers and patchy fog. The low will be around 55, and east winds will be 5-11 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. Precipitation chances are at 80%, with new rainfall amounts of up to half 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.
Event location
Caboose Commons
2918 Eskridge Rd
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
Join the Do It for Dan Foundation for our annual fall fundraiser supporting lung cancer research at Inova Schar Cancer Institute. Enjoy live music, trivia, raffles, foundation updates, and a special presentation from thoracic oncologist Dr. Janakiraman Subramanian. Help us raise $10,000 to advance research and better treatment options for people facing lung cancer.
ArtsFairfax has unveiled the 2025 recipients of its annual awards, which will be given out this fall in a new location.
The 2025 ArtsFairfax Awards will honor a local arts teacher and supporters of Fairfax County’s artistic community on Oct. 24 at the Hyatt Regency Reston (1800 Presidents Street) — a change in venue after four consecutive years at Capital One Hall in Tysons.
The clock is ticking on a now-vacant Seven Corners homeless shelter.
Plans to replace the Patrick Henry Family Shelter have slowed in recent months, but it won’t be long now until the entire building at 3080 Patrick Henry Drive is razed, a county spokesperson told FFXnow.
Plans to redevelop a key parcel straddling the boundary between Fairfax County and Falls Church City are about to get a boost.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission signaled last week that it plans to recommend that the Board of Supervisors authorize staff to study amending the comprehensive plan to allow mixed-use development on a 2.4-acre parcel fronting Route 7 located on the Fairfax side of the border.
A company whose satellites help connect people across the globe is looking to expand its footprint in Tysons.
After more than a decade at 1775 Tysons Blvd, Iridium Communications will move its corporate headquarters to the west side of Tysons Galleria, investing $13 million to build out a 55,000-square-foot space at 1676 International Drive.
In part due to opposition from Fairfax County leaders, the regional DMV Moves task force appears to have abandoned a proposal for a regional sales tax to provide additional Metro funding.
A collaborative effort between the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), the DMV Moves task force has been working for a year on developing funding alternatives.
