Countywide
A window of the Hyatt Regency in Tysons reflects the sun (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Driver Charged in Fatal Clifton Crash — Fairfax County police have charged a 21-year-old man from Woodbridge with failure to maintain proper control in connection to a July 15 crash that killed a passenger in his car. Police say the man was driving west on Old Yates Ford Road in a 2003 Honda Accord when he veered over the yellow line and collided with a Volkswagen SUV. [FCPD]

Man Convicted for 2022 Fatal Shooting — “Jordan Cochran was found guilty of first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding. He was 20 at the time of the shooting. Kebbren Leigh-Gaye, who was just 18 years old, died after the shooting on Jan. 8, 2022, on Richmond Highway (Route 1) at Dart Drive, in the Hybla Valley area.” [NBC4]

Judge Orders Release of Defense Department Engineer — “A Defense Department engineer accused of mishandling highly classified records should be released from jail to home confinement pending trial, a federal magistrate judge ruled Tuesday…[Gokhan] Gun during the hearing agreed to put up a nearly $500,000 home in Fairfax as bond collateral.” [Washington Post]

Vienna Figure Skater Reflects on Journey — “Now a student at George Mason University, [Ilia] Malinin still lives with his family in Vienna and trains under his parents, former Olympic skaters Roman Skorniakov and Tatiana Malinina, at SkateQuest in Reston…We recently caught up with Malinin during his off-season to talk about his accomplishments and what to expect next.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Road Closure in Centreville Postponed — A planned closure of Stringfellow Road (Route 645) between Route 29 and Centreville Farms Road has been postponed due to weather. Originally set for Saturday, Aug. 17, the paving work is “part of the Route 29 Widening Project, which is making improvements…between Union Mill Road and Buckleys Gate Drive.” [VDOT]

Georgetown Pike Bridge Closure Rescheduled — “RESCHEDULED: All lanes of Georgetown Pk Bridge over I-495 in #McLean will shift to new northern portion of bridge 8/23-8/26. Motorists are urged to stay away from the area, as lanes will be reduced, and Beltway ramps closed all weekend for work.” [VDOT/Twitter]

New School Board Student Rep Shares Priorities — “Earlier this year, Megan Sawant — a rising senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology — was elected by the countywide Superintendent’s Advisory Council (SAC) to serve a one-year term as student representative to the Fairfax County School Board.” Her goals include ensuring “two-way communication” between students and the board. [Gazette Leader]

Vienna Community Center to Close for Cleaning — “All events and activities at the Vienna Community Center will be paused starting one week from today, next Monday, Aug. 19 through Sept. 2, for an annual deep clean and facility maintenance. The lobby, including the front desk and restrooms, will remain open on a modified schedule.” [Town of Vienna/Facebook]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny conditions and a high near 88, accompanied by a mild north wind at about 5 mph. The evening will transition to partly cloudy skies with a low temperature around 68 and a gentle south breeze. [NWS]


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 — Aug 14, 2024.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect sunny conditions and a high of 87°F with a gentle north wind of 3 to 5 mph during the day. As night falls, it will be partly cloudy with temperatures dipping to approximately 67°F, accompanied by light and variable winds. 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.


News

Reston resident Jeanette Pagliuco set a new Guinness world record last week for most live music shows attended in a week with 27 concerts.

From Aug. 2-9, Pagliuco went to 27 live music events across the D.C. region, attending a mariachi performance, symphony orchestra concert and various rock band shows.


News

A proposal to replace a single-family home behind the Village Green Shopping Center with townhouses encountered skepticism when the developer brought it to the Town of Vienna Planning Commission last month.

Sekas Homes presented two possible layouts for a 10-unit townhouse concept at 128 Nutley Street NW on behalf of the owners of the existing, 114-year-old house, who requested assistance with rezoning and redeveloping the property, the homebuilder’s vice president, Connor Sekas, told planning commission at a July 10 work session.


Event

Local author and Fairfax County Public Library librarian Luis D. Aponte invites parents and community leaders to an empowering discussion inspired by his book “A Safe Place: How to Prevent the Next School Shooting.” Drawing on seven years of research into more than 1,200 U.S. school shooting incidents, he shares practical, nonpartisan, research‑based steps families and schools can use to strengthen safety and emotional well‑being. Discover hopeful, community‑building solutions that help every child feel supported and able to thrive. Attendees receive two free ebooks, with a paperback signing to follow.

Adults. No registration required. Free event. For more information, visit ASafePlaceBook.com.


Around Town

A new spot for Vietnamese cuisine has opened in Fairfax City’s Fair City Mall.

Tucked in the corner of the shopping center near Cinema Arts Theatres is 54 Restaurant Bar & Lounge, a Vietnamese restaurant that says it utilizes fresh ingredients from local farmers. The eatery had a soft opening at 9650 Main Street, Unit 10, on July 18.


News

A Reston man has been arrested after he allegedly sexually assaulted a child at a store in the South Lakes Village Shopping Center.

Police officers were dispatched to the 11100 block of South Lakes Drive at 10:30 p.m. last Friday (Aug. 9) for a reported assault, the Fairfax County Police Department says.


Around Town

After a several-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Springfield Bridge Walk is back on.

The annual event celebrating the connection between the Springfield community and the nearby major U.S. Army installation, Fort Belvoir, kicks off this Saturday (Aug. 17) at 10 a.m. at the corner of Bland Street and Amherst Avenue.


News

Mars is upgrading its longtime headquarters in McLean.

The candy and pet food manufacturer announced yesterday (Tuesday) that, this August, it will begin a multi-year renovation of the two-story office building at 6885 Elm Street that has served as its global corporate base since 1984.


News

For the first time in years, the developer has a potential timeline for its long-delayed downtown Herndon redevelopment that it’s optimistic might actually hold — news greeted by community members with a mix of guarded hope and skepticism.

After a well-attended, sometimes emotional public hearing, the Herndon Town Council voted unanimously last night (Tuesday) to push back the “outside satisfaction date” to finalize an amended agreement with the developer from tomorrow (Thursday) to Sept. 10.