Plenty of venues across Fairfax are home to thoughtfully curated art collections, from paintings to sculptures and multimedia works.
Here are the nominees for “Best Art Gallery in Fairfax” as part of our FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. See your favorite place below? If not, write them in!
Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 8:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 1.
Voting for the Best Steakhouse in Fairfax is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 8:30 a.m.
A statue of George Mason stands at George Mason University's Fairfax campus (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
The Trump administration has opened up yet another investigation into George Mason University in what many students, faculty and lawmakers fear is an attempt to oust GMU President Gregory Washington.
The Justice Department announced yesterday (Thursday) that its Civil Rights Division is investigating Virginia’s largest public university for allegedly “discriminatory” employment practices — specifically its past commitments to increase representation and support for women and people of color.
A senior living building is planned to replace the existing office building at 1831 Wiehle Avenue in Reston (via Fairfax County)
Comstock Companies is making progress on plans to shift from independent living services to age-restricted housing for seniors in a future Reston residential building.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission on July 9 recommended that the Board of Supervisors approve the proposed option, which could affect 127 units in Reston Station’s Midline district.
Vehicles on Jermantown Road in Oakton after rain (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Two Injured in Tysons Crash — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue responded yesterday (Thursday) afternoon to “a two vehicle accident with one vehicle into a pole in the 8100 blk of Jones Branch Drive in Tysons. Crews arrived and assessed two patients. One patient was transported with non-life-threatening injuries.” [FCFRD/X]
House Fire in Franklin Farm — Firefighters were also dispatched yesterday to “a house fire in the 3000 blk of Jeannie Anna Ct in Herndon. Crews arrived to fire showing from an attached garage. The fire is under control. One occupant was transported for non-life-threatening injuries. No firefighter injuries.” [FCFRD/X]
Summer Has Been Especially Humid — “Summers in Washington are known for their humidity, but this one ranks among the muggiest in recent decades … From June 1 through July 16, dew points in D.C. reached 70 or higher for 573 hours, second-most on record since 1945, only trailing 1994 (603 hours).” The 15 Flood Watches issued since May have also been the most that the region has seen in a three-month period since 2007. [Capital Weather Gang]
Dulles Airport Construction Hits Milestone — Construction crews were scheduled to “install the final steel beam for Concourse E on Thursday morning. Set to open in fall 2026, the new concourse will feature 14 gates, a United Airlines lounge, state-of-the-art restrooms, and direct AeroTrain access. It is expected to replace the aging C/D concourse.” [FOX5]
Ruling on Dominion Energy Plan — The State Corporation Commission ruled on Tuesday (July 15) that Dominion Energy’s 2024 Integrated Resource Plan — which outlines how the utility intends to meet energy demands and emission reduction goals — is “legally sufficient,” but still raised concerns about its continued reliance on fossil fuels and spending plans that could “significantly impact” the monthly electric bills paid by residents and businesses. [Virginia Mercury]
Research Project Looks at Occoquan Water Supply — “The Occoquan Reservoir supplies water for a million people in Northern Virginia and right now, it exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant levels for potentially dangerous chemicals.” An Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory led by Virginia Tech professor Stanley Grant is investigating “how this group of chemicals, known as PFAS, keep showing up in the water supply.” [WTOP]
Falls Church Adds Outreach Specialist — “Falls Church has hired its first outreach specialist for the city’s Vietnamese communities. Following city leaders’ promises to improve engagement with Vietnamese-American residents and businesses, Le Nguyen, a veteran journalist with local ties, started work on July 10.” [ARLnow]
Park Authority Honors Volunteers — “On Thursday, July 10, the Fairfax County Government Center Ellipse came alive with music, gratitude, and community spirit during the Evening on the Ellipse celebration recognizing the 2025 Outstanding Volunteers and officially proclaiming July as National Park and Recreation Month in Fairfax County.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]
It’s Friday — There’s a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5pm today, with partly sunny skies and a high near 87. Tonight, the showers and thunderstorms might occur after 8pm, leading to mostly cloudy skies and a low around 73. A light southeast wind will accompany the 40% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
Washington Dulles International Airport development plan (via MWAA)
A 230% increase in passengers — to 90 million per year — is planned for Dulles International Airport later toward the end of the 21st century.
That aspirational figure was contained in the new master plan for the airport, approved Wednesday (July 16) by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) board of directors.
Crescent Apartments in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Plans to redevelop the Crescent Apartments, which trace their lineage nearly back to Reston’s founding, took a key procedural step forward on Tuesday (July 16).
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted 9-0 to transfer the 16.5-acre site to the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority, enabling the agency to work on finding a private partner for the redevelopment project.
Mitre is among the federal contractors in Fairfax County who've laid off workers due to federal contract cuts (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Despite continued concerns about inflation, federal worker layoffs and other issues, business leaders in Northern Virginia are feeling more upbeat about their own economic prospects and those of the region than they were this spring, a new survey found.
The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (NVC) worked with the marketing firm Pinkston to survey 135 corporate executives and business owners about their experiences with the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the federal government, their expectations for the near-future and their policy priorities.
Volunteers pack donations that will go to schools at Food for Others' Merrifield warehouse (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Food distributors operating in Fairfax County say newly approved cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits could have a devastating impact on a region already struggling with food insecurity.
Water fountains in front of Plaza America office buildings (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Heat Advisory in Effect — “The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for … much of the D.C. area. Heat index values are expected to reach around 105 degrees Thursday, creating potentially hazardous conditions for outdoor activities.” Fairfax County has activated its emergency heat plan for the day, establishing cooling centers where people can find water and other supplies. [ARLnow]
GMU Students Concerned by Federal Probe — “When student Hanaan Kazia first heard about the federal civil rights probe into George Mason University, she wasn’t surprised. But the junior political science major and member of the school’s Political Science Honor Society says the implications still scare her.” Kazia and other students, faculty and lawmakers have spoken out in support of GMU, championing its diversity and calling the investigation “baseless and politically motivated.” [Virginia Mercury]
Contractor Moving to Reston Town Center — “Noblis has inked a lease to take virtually the entirety of 12050 Inspiration St., a roughly 90,000-square-foot office that is part of BXP Inc.’s Reston Next extension of Reston Town Center.” Starting in September 2027, the nonprofit will occupy 74,681 square feet, a “significant downsize compared to the 160,000-square-foot, two-building lease” signed a decade ago for its current headquarters at 2002 Edmund Halley Drive. [Washington Business Journal]
Great Falls Road to Temporarily Close — “Weather permitting, Walker Road (Route 681) will be closed to through traffic between Colvin Run Road (Route 743) and Georgetown Pike (Route 193) for two weeks due to work related to the Walker Road over Piney Run bridge replacement project.” The closure is scheduled to last from 10 p.m. this Friday (July 18) until 9 p.m. on Aug. 1, requiring drivers to take a detour. [VDOT]
Seven Corners Offices Sold — “The two high-rise office buildings at the Seven Corners intersection recently sold for 13 percent less than what they were acquired for six years ago, the Washington Business Journal reports. Sage Ventures bought the two 13-story office towers at 6400 and 6402 Arlington Blvd. from BoundTrain Real Estate in June for $33.7 million.” [Annandale Today]
Virginia Partners With Google on A.I. — Visiting the tech company’s Reston offices, “Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced on Tuesday that Google will partner with his administration to provide free and low-cost artificial intelligence certification courses to Virginians as part of his office’s ongoing effort to connect citizens to new jobs amid changes to the state’s economy.” [Associated Press]
Fliers Anxious After DCA Crash — “Ruffini and her cohort aren’t the only passengers experiencing emotional turbulence related to DCA. Following the midair collision over the Potomac River that claimed 67 lives, fliers shared with Washingtonian that they’re experiencing heightened flight anxiety — especially when it comes to traveling through Reagan National.” [Washingtonian]
Deadline to Pay Real Estate Taxes — Fairfax County has mailed bills for the first installment of this year’s real estate taxes, which are due July 28. “If you have not yet received your bill, you may find the taxes owed on our website. If you plan to pay via smartphone or online, you will need this year’s stub number from your real estate tax bill.” [Department of Tax Administration]
It’s Thursday — There’s a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms starting around 5pm, accompanied by mostly sunny weather and a high near 95. The heat index may reach as high as 105, with a southwest wind around 10 mph and gusts up to 18 mph. Night will be partly cloudy with a low around 77. [NWS]
Site of proposed Park Center Road power substation (via Dominion Energy)
Despite objections to one of the projects from nearby residents, the Fairfax County Planning Commission at its July 9 meeting approved Dominion Energy’s requests for two new electrical substations to support future data centers in the Dulles area.
A 300-megawatt Towerview substation will be wedged between Sully Road (Route 28) and Park Center Road in the Floris neighborhood, just east of Dulles International Airport. Dominion will lease the site from the owner of the Dulles Gateway data center, which is being constructed immediately to its south.