With Fairfax County Public Schools resuming classes next Monday (Aug. 18), Reston Regional Library will host a book sale to help students and their teachers prepare.
The Friends of Reston Regional Library is kicking off its biannual Kids Back to School Book Sale at 10 a.m. today (Thursday). Volunteers have been working since April to sort, clean and prepare “tens of thousands of books” for the sale, the group says.
Virginia Loses Solar Power Funding — “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded Virginia $156 million last year through Solar for All, a $7 billion program launched under the Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden’s signature climate legislation.” After the Trump administration announced last week that it’s canceling the grant funding, Virginia Energy confirmed that it received a termination notice and removed the program’s webpage. [WHRO]
Firefighters Injured in Springfield House Fire — A two-alarm house fire in the 5900 block of Amherst Avenue on July 27 was caused by an “electrical event” on the home’s patio, the Office of the Fire Marshal found. Two firefighters and one resident were treated for injuries, and two pets were found dead inside the home. The fire resulted in an estimated $697,986 in property damages. [FCFRD]
N. Va. Hit Hardest by Federal Worker Cuts — The D.C. region has shed roughly “20,000 federal government jobs so far this year while federal government contracts and grants procured by companies in the region fell by $1.7 billion or 13% since the start of the year, according to CBRE’s research.” Northern Virginia saw the biggest drop in federal employment, while contract and grant terminations have especially shaken suburban Maryland. [Washington Business Journal]
Beyer Primary Challenger Emerges — “Former Alexandria City Councilman Mohamed “Mo” Seifeldein announced Tuesday to reporters that he will seek the Democratic nomination for Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, challenging five-term incumbent Rep. Don Beyer and positioning himself as a voice for economic change.” [ALXnow]
Fairfax City Police Chief Sworn In — “Raul Pedroso, Fairfax City’s new chief of police, was sworn in Monday during a ceremony at the Stacey C. Sherwood Community Center, which is located just across the parking lot from police headquarters.” Formerly an assistant police chief in Alexandria City, he took over from interim chief Capt. Natalie Hinesley after former Chief Erin Schaible retired. [Patch]
No More Flights to New Delhi — “Air India … is pulling out of Dulles International Airport as it suspends nonstop service to New Delhi next month despite recent passenger growth along the route.” Set to end on Sept. 1, the three-times-a-week route is the only nonstop option between the D.C. region and the Indian subcontinent. The airline says the change was needed due to a $400 million process to update some of its Boeing aircraft and Pakistan’s closure of its airspace to Indian carriers. [WBJ]
Pro Women’s Baseball League Holds Tryouts — “The first women’s professional baseball league in more than 70 years is hosting historic tryouts in D.C. next week … Women’s pro sports are surging nationwide — and the new Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) is among the few with DMV ties.” [Axios DC]
It’s Thursday — Expect showers and thunderstorms after 2pm, with mostly sunny skies and a high near 89. Light northwest winds of 3 to 6 mph, and a 30% chance of precipitation. On Thursday night, a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, followed by a slight possibility of showers until 2am. Partly cloudy skies with a low around 73 and light, variable winds. [NWS]
Roggenart Bakery Cafe and Bistro is ready to unveil its new location at RTC West.
The bakery will begin serving coffee and its artisan pastries at 12130A Sunset Hills Road next week, with an official opening scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 21 at 10:30 a.m.
After a stretch of consistently sunny days, the D.C. region is facing a potential bout of rain this afternoon (Wednesday).
The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for the area, including Fairfax County, that’s currently scheduled to take effect at 2 p.m. and continue until 9 p.m.
Reston Hospital Center is expanding its services to include a new advanced heart surgery program.
Expected to open by the end of 2025, the program led by surgeon and Army veteran Dr. William A. Cooper will be the first new cardiac surgery program to launch in Northern Virginia in nearly four decades, according to HCA Virginia Health System, which runs the hospital.
Sales were down overall, but average prices were up in all three market segments, as the Fairfax County real estate market moved through the summer under challenging economic conditions.
A total of 1,144 properties went to closing in July, according to new figures from the Bright MLS multiple-listing service. That’s down 5% from 1,220 transactions in July 2024.
Va. National Guard to Train With ICE — “The Virginia National Guard says solders will begin training with Immigration and Customs Enforcement later this month. In a statement, the Guard said the soldiers will deploy with ICE in early September to ‘provide administrative and logistics support’ to the federal agency.” [WVTF]
White House to Review Smithsonian — “The White House is ordering a wide-ranging review of the Smithsonian museums and exhibitions ahead of the country’s 250th birthday with a goal of aligning the institution’s content with President Donald Trump’s interpretation of American history.” The eight museums subject to the initial review include the National Air and Space Museum, whose Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly. [Associated Press]
Fairfax Man Charged in Fatal Crash — “A Fairfax driver has been charged in a crash killing a motorcyclist and injuring two others in Nokesville Monday, according to Prince William County Police.” An 18-year-old driver of a 2012 Mazda 5 has been charged with reckless driving for allegedly failing to yield the right of way on a left turn, which caused a motorcyclist to crash into a Jeep Wrangler. [Patch]
Dems Push for Indigenous People’s Day — “State Democrats plan to make Indigenous People’s Day an official holiday in Virginia and will discuss the proposal in the next legislative session in January, a state delegate said over the weekend. The measure could face opposition from Republicans and others because it would mean replacing Columbus Day.” [Virginia Mercury]
Beyer Clashes With DHS — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security “publicly criticized U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D) in a press release after he visited Farmville Detention Center on Friday. It accused him of prioritizing detainees with criminal convictions over crime victims.” Beyer’s spokesperson responded with criticism of the conditions at the immigration detention center. [ARLnow]
Arrest Made in 7-Eleven Robberies — “A man being held without bond in the Alexandria jail faces robbery charges for allegedly walking into convenience stores in Alexandria and Fairfax County with a hammer or tire iron and stealing cigarettes from behind the counters.” [ALXnow]
Changes to Expect in New School Year — “It’s back-to-school season already, and many NoVA families will notice some significant changes.” For Fairfax County Public Schools, notable changes will include an expansion of weapons scanners to all high and middle schools, new cell phone restrictions, and additional speed cameras. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Free Car Wash for School Workers — “In celebration of the start of the new school year, Mr Wash Car Wash is offering free car washes for all school employees on Thursday, Aug. 14 at all of its Northern Virginia locations, including the Mr Wash Car Wash at 8218 Leesburg Pike in Tysons.” [Patch]
It’s Wednesday — Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms, with a high temperature around 89°F. The 60% chance of precipitation declines to 40% at night, with showers and thunderstorms possible before 2am. Anticipate a mostly cloudy evening with the temperature dropping to around 73°F. [NWS]
After a year-long closure, the Barton Hill tennis courts (1901 Barton Hill) are making a return.
The courts closed at the end of June 2024 for a $851,000 renovation project, which featured a new asphalt surface, nets, fencing and color.
After introducing itself to D.C. and Arlington in July, the food hall and delivery service Wonder is planning to serve up its roster of celebrity chef-driven restaurants to Fairfax County this fall.
Forthcoming locations in Franconia and Reston are on track to open in September and October, respectively, a Wonder spokesperson confirmed to FFXnow.
One month after Congress passed a federal budget bill with a provision directing NASA to transfer a space shuttle to Texas, the space agency remains tight-lipped on any impending relocation plans.
The bill, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4, requires acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy to identify a space vehicle to transfer to a NASA field center. The requirements stipulate that the ship must have flown into space, carried astronauts, and is selected with the concurrence of a nonprofit entity designated by the administrator.
