Around Town

Good Friday 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 — Sep 20, 2024.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. These are the wealthiest zip codes in Fairfax County, national ranking finds (41553 views)
  2. BREAKING: Woman killed, officer injured in Reston police shooting (19121 views)
  3. Fairfax County considers new tax options to ease burden on property owners (8588 views)
  4. Burger joint to hold grand opening in Chantilly this weekend (6482 views)
  5. Balducci’s celebrates reopening in McLean after major remodel (4892 views)
  6. Gaming convention to take over GMU for second time this year (4101 views)
  7. Investigation underway in police shooting of Reston woman (3931 views)
  8. Final phase of Lake Anne area visioning study nears completion (3370 views)
  9. County board allows residential development on former Fair Lakes office site (2833 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

🌥️ Saturday’s forecast

Partly sunny skies with a high of 81 and a light south wind at 3 to 7 mph. Saturday night brings a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 2 am, and a low around 64. New rainfall amounts will range between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, with higher amounts possible during thunderstorms. 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.

We hope you have a great weekend! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋


Sponsored

SAVE THE DATE!
December 4-6, 2026
Experience the magic of the holiday season at this beloved event that has offered truly unique, handcrafted treasures for more than four decades. Find pottery, glass, jewelry, fashion accessories, woodwork, artisanal foods, and more from eighty exceptional regional artisans. Come discover the perfect gifts, treat yourself to lunch at the onsite café, and celebrate the spirit of the season with us! A juried show since 1982.

• FREE parking | 1234 Ingleside Ave, McLean, VA 22101
• Proceeds support the NVHG Scholarship Program for college art students
• Tote bags will be given to the first 200 attendees each day
• MCC has accessible entrances and restrooms

For additional information please visit:
www.nvhg.org
www.mcleancenter.org 


News

The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is seeking community feedback on some potential improvements at Hybla Valley Park.

The agency is considering replacing the two existing tennis courts at the park near Hybla Valley Elementary School (3431 Lockheed Blvd) with a combination basketball and futsal court. A new playground has also been proposed.


Around Town

A growing chain that specializes in soup dumplings and Chongqing noodles is coming to Chantilly.

The next Yu Noodles outpost, helmed by local restaurateur Cody Zhou, will be opening in the former 50 West Armory space in the Sully Place shopping center.


Event

In its 14th year of production, Skye Ballet Center presents The Nutcracker. The absolutely gorgeous ballet will take place on Saturday, November 28th at 2 pm and 6 pm. Join us to a wonderful start to the holiday season!!

SBC Nutcracker
South Lakes High School
2:00 and 6:00 pm


Countywide

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors wants to change how it assesses transportation impacts by switching from an automobile-focused methodology to a more inclusive approach.

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) is working on a Comprehensive Transportation Analysis (CTA) to collect data and identify the trade-offs between different modes of transportation, FCDOT planner Tim Kutz told the board during a transportation committee meeting on Tuesday (Sept. 17).


News

McLean’s Winterfest Parade is reawakening after an extended hibernation.

The McLean Revitalization Corporation (MRC) announced earlier this month that the once-annual celebration will return on Dec. 8 for the first time since 2018. Coupled with a free movie screening tonight (Friday), the parade’s revival reflects a shift in the nonprofit’s efforts to boost activity in downtown McLean.


Around Town

Herndon foodies will soon have a more convenient option for tasting chef Peter Chang’s creations.

Peter Chang Herndon is set to open on Saturday, Sept. 28 in Arrowbrook Centre, the mixed-use development near Innovation Center Metro station, the restaurant announced yesterday (Thursday).


Countywide

Early voting for the Nov. 5 general election in Fairfax County kicks off today (Friday) at three polling locations.

Voters will not only be deciding between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump in the presidential race, but also choosing candidates for Congress and, for Herndon residents, the town’s mayor and six council members. Several bond referenda and a proposed amendment to Virginia’s constitution will also be on the ballot.


Countywide
A U.S. flag waves outside the senior living community Sunrise of McLean Village (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

County Releases New Youth Survey — “Young people in our community report noticeably lower rates of mental health concerns compared to prior years, according to the 2023-2024 Fairfax County Youth Survey. Overall, youth in Fairfax County report prevalence rates near historic lows for risky behaviors…However, there remain some challenges.” [Fairfax County Government]

CIA Veteran Sentenced to Prison — “A longtime CIA officer who drugged, photographed and sexually assaulted more than two dozen women in postings around the world was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison Wednesday after an emotional hearing…Prosecutors say the 48-year-old Raymond’s assaults date to 2006 and tracked his career in Mexico, Peru and other countries.” [Associated Press]

Herndon Police Issue Scam Alert — “Multiple residents have reported receiving emails in which their home address and a photo of their home (from Google Maps) is included. The email requests bitcoin and threatens to release compromising photos of the recipient if demands are not met. This is a scam. Do not engage with the sender and do not send any kind of payment.” [Herndon Police/Twitter]

Fairfax Restaurant Nears Public Debut — “Former Clarity chef Jon Krinn has been quietly operating a tasting menu restaurant in Fairfax as ‘invitation only.’ To snag a seat at Elyse, you had to be in the know and subscribe to Krinn’s email list to book a reservation. But after some final touches to the 30-seat dining room, the restaurant is gearing up for its public debut on Wednesday, October 9.” [Washingtonian]

Mars ‘Excited’ by Planned Kellanova Merger — “One of a string of Mars’ acquisitions in recent years, the deal will have massive implications…The combined company would generate more than $63 billion based on 2023 figures. That would make the 113-year-old Mars the third-largest private company in the U.S. based on revenue, up from No. 4 now.” [Washington Business Journal]

New Tysons-Bethesda Bus Celebrated — “Fairfax County held a ribbon cutting event [yesterday], Sept. 19, 2024, to officially kick off the new Fairfax Connector Express Route 798 bus service…Route 798 provides regional connectivity between Tysons West*Park and Tysons Metrorail Station in Virginia, and Bethesda, Maryland.” [FCDOT]

Annandale Road Diet Proposed — “Annandale Road currently has two traffic lanes in each direction. Under the road diet plan, there would be one lane in each direction, a center turn lane, and bike lanes in both directions. FCDOT invites the community to a virtual meeting on reconfiguring Annandale Road on Monday, Sept. 23, at 7 p.m.” [Annandale Today]

Metro Finishes Installing Taller Fare Gates — “All 98 stations across the Metrorail system now have more secure, retrofitted faregates to deter fare evasion. The improvements have led to an 82% drop in fare evasion…More than 1,200 five-foot-tall gates and taller fences have been installed across all stations. The project began in July 2023.” [WMATA]

It’s Friday — Expect sunny skies today as temperatures reach a high near 84. A north wind of around 6 mph will shift east during the morning. Tonight, the weather will be partly cloudy and cool, with lows around 63, and a southeast wind blowing at 3 to 6 mph. [NWS]