News

A driver was taken into police custody last night (Thursday) after allegedly traveling the wrong way on I-95 and crashing into two different vehicles on I-395.

The Virginia State Police responded at around 7:37 p.m. after being notified that a vehicle was traveling north in the I-95 Express Lanes in Prince William County at a time when traffic on the highway was supposed to be flowing south, according to a VSP spokesperson.


Countywide
Sun breaks through clouds after a rain storm at Caffi Field in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Pedestrians in Bailey’s Crossroads Crash — “Officers responded around 2:53 p.m. [yesterday] to the intersection of Leesburg Pike and Crossroads Center Way following reports of a crash involving two vehicles. Police said preliminary investigation found one of the vehicles left the roadway and hit three pedestrians,” including one teenager. [WJLA]

Man Charged With Killing Infant in Court — “A Fairfax County man accused of fatally punching his infant daughter appeared in court Wednesday as prosecutors presented testimony from a police detective and the medical examiner about the child’s death.” [WUSA9]

Virginia Improves in Business Rankings — “Virginia has climbed a spot in CNBC’s annual ranking of the best states for business, a year after federal job cuts helped knock it out of the No. 1 position. The state placed third in the 2026 rankings released [yesterday], up from fourth last year.” [ARLnow]

Coaches Top Va. Payroll — “Virginia’s highest-paid workers were in a league of their own: university coaches and athletic directors dominated the top of the state’s payroll, with several earning more than $1 million. University of Virginia head football coach Tony Elliott earned over $3.4 million in total pay, the highest salary for a public employee in the Commonwealth in calendar year 2025.” [Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism]

Autism Therapy Center Opens in Fairfax — “SPARKS ABA is a contemporary applied behavior analysis, or ABA, provider of center-based autism services for children and adolescents ages 2-18 years. The Fairfax Learning Center provides center-based ABA therapy and on-site diagnostic services, as well as speech and occupational therapy.” [Inside NoVA]

Accessory Unit Zoning Review Continues — “In-law suites, au pair apartments and other home add-ons are becoming more popular as families look for flexible ways to live together — or bring in extra rental income. But in Fairfax County, Virginia, actually building one can be a complicated process. Now, county leaders are considering changes that could make it easier for homeowners to add those spaces.” [WTOP]

Park Authority Honors Volunteers — “At its meeting on June 24, the Fairfax County Park Authority Board approved a resolution honoring 21 individuals as 2026 Outstanding Volunteers. These peer-nominated individuals were recognized for their dedication to their community and their invaluable service to the Fairfax County park system.” [FCPA]

Reston Contractor Acquires Fairfax Firm — “Reston federal technology contractor Empower AI has acquired Fairfax’s Highlight Technologies Inc. in a bid to expand its AI and cloud offerings for the federal government … It’s the first acquisition for Empower AI … since New York investment giant KKR & Co. Inc. purchased a majority stake in the company in 2022.” [Washington Business Journal]

It’s Friday — There is a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm, with increasing clouds and a high near 90°F. There will be a west wind at 5 to 7 mph. Overnight, there’s a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, with isolated showers possible afterward. The night will be mostly cloudy with a low around 71°F and a light west wind. [NWS]


Around Town

Good Thursday 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 — Jul 9, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌦️ Friday’s forecast

Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms after 3 PM, with increasing clouds and a high near 89°F, accompanied by a west wind around 7 mph. There is a 30% chance of precipitation. During the night, scattered showers and thunderstorms are likely before 2 AM, followed by isolated showers until 5 AM. The night will be mostly cloudy with a low around 71°F and a light west wind, with a 30% chance of precipitation. 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

More than a decade of military service came to an unwelcome end last year for Sabrina Bruce, but rather than retreating from government work, she hopes to continue serving, shifting her focus to the local community that embraced her as soon as she arrived.

Bruce officially obtained enough signatures last month to qualify for the ballot in the upcoming Herndon Town Council elections. If she wins one of six open seats on Nov. 3, she would become the first openly transgender person elected to any office in Fairfax County.


Event

The George Mason Friends will hold their semi-annual Fall Book Sale at George Mason Regional Library, 7001 Little River Turnpike, Annandale from Wednesday evening, September 23 through Sunday, September 27, 2026.

A Preview Sale will be held on Wednesday evening from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm for a $20 entry fee per adult. A no entry fee, General Sale, will begin on Thursday, September 23 and run through Sunday, September 27, with hours 10:00 am to 5:30 pm daily.


Countywide

Fairfax County staff are beginning preparations for adhering to a new state law loosening zoning regulations on development of affordable housing.

Legislation known by proponents as the “Faith in Housing” bills was enacted by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) earlier this year. Set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, it requires localities to establish a streamlined process for construction of affordable units on land owned by religious organizations or nonprofit groups.


Around Town

It appears South Asian cuisine will soon give way to comfort food from the southern U.S. at one restaurant space in Tysons Corner Center.

The “Southern-inspired” chain Milk & Honey from Reston-based Thompson Hospitality is planning to open a location in the mall at 1961 Chain Bridge Road, Suite G21U, taking over a roughly 4,900-square-foot space currently occupied by the Indian restaurant Dhoom, according to a building plan submitted last month to Fairfax County.


News

Fairfax County is inviting local residents to learn about a possible plan to combine a renovation of the Chantilly Regional Library and technical operations facility with affordable housing and community space.

The community meeting will be held July 16, from 6-7:30 p.m., at the Chantilly High School cafeteria (4201 Stringfellow Road) across from the library.


Weather

Another round of storms could hit Fairfax County this afternoon (Thursday), prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Flood Watch for the region.

Set to take effect from 2-11 p.m., the alert warns that a mass of “tropical air” expected to pass through the area could produce “torrential downpours,” potentially leading to flash flooding.


Countywide

Fairfax County supervisors have directed staff to consider ways to reduce bureaucratic hurdles for those seeking to provide child care services in their homes to the public.

Getting approval from the county government “takes way too long,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at a Land Use Policy Committee meeting yesterday (Tuesday).