Covid Cases on the Rise — “COVID-19 activity is increasing across the U.S. and Virginia, including in the Fairfax Health District. Emergency department visits for individuals who are diagnosed with COVID-19 have increased to 3.3% of all emergency department visits — up from 1.2% in early June. Although still low overall, this is the highest proportion reported since late January 2024.” [Fairfax County Health Department]

Compass Coffee Workers Vote in Union Election — “All 22 workers whose ballots went unchallenged voted in favor of a union, according to tallies from the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday. But union organizers and Compass representatives challenged 101 ballots, which puts the issue in the NLRB’s hands.” [Washington Post]

Reston Contractors Engage in Court Battle — “CACI International Inc. sued Science Applications International Corp. in Fairfax County Circuit Court on July 8, alleging SAIC did not fulfill its commitments as the prime contractor on an Air Force contract…CACI is seeking monetary damages of $16.8 million plus interest for the lost revenue and $25,546 per employee per month for each CACI employee” who was “solicited” by SAIC. [Washington Business Journal]

Fairfax City Plan to Reduce Water Pollution Approved — “The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality reviewed and approved Fairfax City’s draft third-phase Chesapeake Bay TMDL (total maximum daily load) Action Plan. The action plan outlines the city’s strategies to reduce pollutant discharges to the Chesapeake Bay watershed.” [City of Fairfax]

New Summer Programs at Mount Vernon — With its education center closed for renovations on top of an ongoing preservation project for its main mansion, George Washington’s Mount Vernon is shaking up its programming with “a series of themed weekends, each one highlighting a specific aspect of 18th century life.” [Washingtonian]

Results of Vienna Police Stop-Sign Crackdown — “In one of their yearly targeted-enforcement campaigns, officers with the Vienna Police Department Operations Division this past month cracked down on stop-sign violations within the community and issued 236 stop-sign citations and 153 citations for various other traffic violations, officials announced July 16.” [Gazette Leader]

McLean Restaurant Owner Discusses Journey — “Fahrenheit Asian is steeped in the Szechuan traditions that owner and chef Lilly Qin grew up with in her parents’ restaurant in Chantilly. But she is also charting a new path, constantly experimenting with new riffs on classic dishes.” [Washington Post]

Area Country Clubs Report Revenue Increases — In the D.C. area, International Country Club in Chantilly reported the biggest revenue jump (54.5%) from 2020 to 2022, though the Belle Haven (49%), Springfield (28.9%) and Army Navy (27%) country clubs also saw increases. However, “for many clubs nationwide, the pandemic-era revenue surge came along with skyrocketing expenses.” [WBJ]

It’s Thursday — Skies will be partly sunny with a high near 89 before thunderstorms potentially arrive after 5pm. At night, skies will be partly cloudy with a low around 69 and a 30% chance of precipitation. [NWS]