News

A driver was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on I-95 near Lorton that brought the northbound lanes to a standstill this afternoon (Monday).

According to the Virginia State Police, two drivers were traveling “at a high rate of speed” around 1 p.m. when one of them — the driver of a 2013 BMW 650I convertible — changed lanes and hit a third vehicle, a 2020 Mercedes E-Class near the 163-mile marker south of Lorton Road.


News

A Herndon man already charged with murder in connection with the killings of his wife and another man in their home is now facing new charges.

A grand jury indicted Brendan Banfield, 39, on one count of felony child abuse and neglect and one count of felony child cruelty for his actions on Feb. 24, 2023, Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced today (Monday).


Countywide

Fairfax County’s plastic bag tax has pulled in more than $6 million in revenue and taken an estimated 3 million plastic bags out of circulation nearly two years after it was enacted, county officials say.

“There are 3 million fewer plastic bags in circulation in Fairfax County since the bag tax was enacted, which 100% shows the intention is working,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said during an environmental committee meeting last Tuesday (Dec. 10).


News

Federal prosecutors have charged a travel agent accused of orchestrating a Ponzi scheme and ultimately defrauding the George Mason University men’s basketball team earlier this year.

Maurice Eugene Smith, 44, of Atlanta is believed to have used the nearly $160,000 paid by the school to cover his personal expenses instead of booking the team’s anticipated trip to the Bahamas, according to court records.


Event

The Reston Museum invites the community to discover a fascinating chapter of local history through an upcoming program exploring the A. Smith Bowman Distillery and the Bowman family's history and connections to the Reston area. Before Reston was envisioned as a planned community, Sunset Hills Farm was home to Virginia's only legal post-prohibition whiskey distillery. Through historical accounts, photographs and other archival materials attendees will have an opportunity to gain a greater appreciation for the people and stories that preceded modern-day Reston.


Countywide

A number of regional leaders are pushing back on the incoming Trump administration’s goal of having federal workers quickly return to offices five days a week.

Despite concerns about the impact of work-from-home patterns on local transit and the commercial office sector, requiring federal workers to be back in the office full-time brought concerns from speakers at a recent Dulles Area Transportation Association (DATA) forum.


News

A man was arrested last week after allegedly fleeing a crash in Vienna that left a pedestrian with serious injuries on Thanksgiving.

The pedestrian had gotten dropped off by a Lyft driver in the 900 block of Park Street SE around 8:15 p.m. on Nov. 28 and was crossing the street when a vehicle in the residential street’s northbound lane hit him, according to the Town of Vienna Police Department.


News

Fairfax County police believe a man killed in a car crash on Georgetown Pike this weekend may have been speeding.

Officers were called to the 8600 block of Georgetown Pike in Great Falls at 6:54 a.m. on Saturday (Dec. 14) after Ederson Lima Gislon, 40, of Maryland veered off the roadway in a 2024 BMW M8 and hit a tree, the Fairfax County Police Department said yesterday.


Countywide
The 2024 Herndon WinterMarkt draws a crowd (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Two Injured in Two-Alarm Apartment Fire — A two-alarm fire at a “garden-style” apartment building in the 4200 block of Buckman Road in Woodlawn yesterday (Sunday) led to a civilian and a firefighter being taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. “Units arrived to fire showing from the lower level of the 3-story building. Firefighters rescued multiple people.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Oakton Condo Residents Report Drone Sightings — “Groups of drones seen flying around the suburbs of Washington, D.C., in recent days are leaving many people perplexed and wondering what — if anything — they should do. Residents of the Hawthorne Village Condominiums in Fairfax, Virginia, say drones began flying nearby about 8 p.m. and stuck around for a few hours.” [NBC4]

Reston Office Buildings Get New Owner — “Bernstein Management Corp. purchased Reston Crossing, a 334K SF property next to the Dulles Toll Road, for an undisclosed price, it announced this week. The two-property complex is 54% leased, it said.” Seller “Tishman Speyer had been planning to redevelop the 14-acre site next to the Silver Line since January 2018.” [Bisnow]

Gun Confiscated at Dulles Airport — “Authorities at Washington Dulles International Airport intercepted the 26th firearm of the year, breaking the record for most guns TSA has detected in a single year, according to the Transportation Security Administration. The previous record of 25 was set in 2022.” [Patch]

Korean BBQ Restaurant Opens in Fairfax City — “Chosun Hwaro, a Korean barbecue restaurant that first opened in Ellicott City, Maryland, is coming to Fairfax City. The restaurant began its soft opening … December 12. The new location is at 10790 Fairgrounds Dr. in the new Boulevard VI development.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Falls Church Movie Theater Anticipates Spring Launch — “The seven-screen Paragon Theaters will be located at 112 Founders Row in a mixed-use building with multifamily housing, restaurants, and underground parking. Jared Comess, a vice president at Paragon Entertainment Holdings LLC, anticipates it will open the first week of May with several special events.” [Annandale Today]

New Cafe Serves Tea and Pastries in Falls Church — “A cozy cafe serving Japanese matcha and French pastries opened its doors last month in Falls Church. Offerings at Midori Tea House include sparkling fruit drinks, hot tea, petite desserts — and of course, the cafe’s specialty, matcha.” [ARLnow]

It’s Monday — The day will be cloudy with a high near 50 and a 40% chance of rain, along with possible patchy fog before 10am. Cloudy conditions continue in the evening with a low around 48, and south wind at 7-13 mph. The chances of precipitation are 40% in the day and 60% at night. [NWS]


Sports

The finish came down to a couple of Hail Mary passes at the end, one a big success and the other so close to working, as the Madison Warhawks fell a point short of winning their first state football championship.

The undefeated Oscar Smith Tigers of Chesapeake (15-0) nipped Madison, 21-20, in a seesaw Dec. 14 championship game of the Virginia High School League’s Class 6 state final at James Madison University in Harrisonburg.