Photographers braved the cold to capture moments from their New Year’s Day hikes for a chance to win the Fairfax County Park Authority’s (FCPA) First Hike Fairfax photo contest.
The annual contest invited Fairfax County residents to submit photos from their first hikes of 2026 on the park authority’s more than 420 parks and 334 miles of trails.
Men arrested last fall in connection to two separate killings were both indicted on murder charges by grand juries today (Monday), the Office of the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney has announced.
Rami El-Sayed, a 34-year-old Vienna resident, per court records, faces a second-degree murder charge for allegedly killing Cara Abbruscato, a 40-year-old Fairfax resident who was found dead in Burke Lake Park’s campgrounds on Sept. 30, 2023.
(Updated at 3:55 p.m.) A local bald eagle stretched its wings for the first time in over a month when it got released at Burke Lake Park this past weekend.
The adult, male bird was found in Fairfax Station on Dec. 23 by Fairfax County Animal Protection Police officers, who were responding to a call for service. In addition to being “underweight,” the eagle had head injuries and “a deep laceration on a leg,” according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
As a “ring of fire” eclipse descends this Saturday (Oct. 14), Fairfax County is prepping with a series of events.
The annular eclipse occurs when the moon is at its furthest point from the Earth, appearing such that it is smaller than the sun. The result is that it leaves a ring of light around the edge of the moon.
Updated at 5:40 p.m. — A man identified as a person of interest in Cara Abbruscato’s death was arrested in New Jersey today and has been charged with second-degree murder, Fairfax County police announced shortly after noon.
Earlier: Foul play is suspected in the death of a woman whose body was found at the Burke Lake Park campgrounds on Saturday (Sept. 30).
A new tree disease has been detected in Fairfax County, threatening one of the region’s most common trees.
County officials have confirmed, in the fall, they found that a number of American beech trees in three parks in Fairfax County were infected with beech leaf disease (BLD). The parks include Burke Lake Park, Hemlock Overlook Park near Clifton, and Fairfax Station’s Fountainhead Park.
Burke Lake’s marina is being closed for a number of months, and the lake will be lowered by two feet to help stabilize the beach area and improve drainage.
The $1.5 million project aims to stabilize the beach area as well as add “armoring” — the use of physical structures to prevent further coastal erosion — to a large portion of the shoreline. Drainage will also be improved around the existing boathouse and restroom buildings.
Baby Born at Reston Fire Station Makes Visit — “Today, Station 25, Reston, B-Shift hosted Baby Ivy, who made her entrance into the world in Station 25 parking lot recently, and her big brother, mom and dad. 25-B were thrilled and presented the family w/station shirt/patch. Baby Ivy brought some goodies for the shift!” [FCFRD/Twitter]
TJ Students Reflect on First Year Under New Admissions System — “As the adults did battle in courtrooms, students such as Sarah Castillo were reconsidering their options. Hundreds of students who had neither thought of applying to TJ, nor felt they had a chance of acceptance under the old admissions system, now took the plunge — and some of them, including Sarah, got in.” [The Washington Post]
A motorcyclist was killed after colliding with an SUV around 7 p.m. Friday on Ox Road at Henderson Road, near Burke Lake Park.
The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, says Sgt. Tara Gerhard, Fairfax County police spokeswoman. She said the southbound lanes of Ox Road are closed at Wayfarer Drive and eastbound Henderson Road is closed at Thistledown Trail while police are investigating the crash.
