The I-66 Express Lanes near the Dunn Loring Metro station’s parking garage (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Two Injured in Clifton Crash — “The Fairfax County Police Department responded to a crash at the intersection of Old Yates Ford Road and Henderson Road in Clifton, Virginia, on Saturday.” A driver and a passenger were taken to the hospital, with the latter, an adult man, sustaining life-threatening injuries. [WUSA9]

Sentence Reduced for Fatal Lorton Hit-and-Run — “The family of a Fairfax County, Virginia, man killed by a hit-and-run driver says they’re devastated after a judge dramatically reduced the driver’s sentence on Friday. In April, Guillermo Vasquez pleaded guilty to the hit-and-run crash that killed 28-year-old Joey Lanza outside his home in Lorton in 2020.” [NBC4]

Fire Chief Condemns Violence after Fatal Shooting at Trump Rally — As president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Fairfax County Fire Chief John Butler expressed his “deepest condolences” to the family of Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief in Buffalo, Pennsylvania who was killed in the shooting at former president Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday (July 13). [Fire Chief John Butler/Twitter]

Lost Dog Found in Sewer — “Mack is back home resting following an adventure that almost sounds too unreal to be true! After he escaped his backyard and somehow ended up in the sewer system, he traveled two miles before peeking out of a curb inlet near a police station.” [Fairfax County Animal Shelter/Facebook]

Work Group Planning 250th Independence Day — “As a young man growing up in Philadelphia, Scott Stroh was thrilled with the red-white-and-blue extravaganza celebrating the nation’s bicentennial in 1976…Stroh, who now is director of historic Gunston Hall, is leading a Fairfax County group that for three years has been gearing up” to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. [Gazette Leader]

Inside Oldest Building on CIA Campus — “When buying a house on 30 wooded acres in northern Virginia, the last thing you might expect to get is a nosy neighbor. But after Margaret Scattergood and Florence Thorne moved into their new home in 1933, they got more than they bargained for – an entire campus full of spies.” [CBS News]

Potomac River Experiencing ‘Flash Drought’ — “The probability of releases from backup reservoirs to ensure an adequate drinking water supply in the Potomac River is higher than normal this year, according to the group that coordinates the three major water providers in the Washington, D.C. area.” [WTOP]

Annandale Office Building Sold — “Windows Plus has sold its building at 4321 Markham Street in Annandale. The buyer paid $1.72 million for the two-story, 3,600-square-foot commercial building, says Chris Bernard, a real estate broker with CRES Inc…The buyers, who wish to remain anonymous, do not have immediate plans to redevelop the property, Bernard said.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Monday — Showers and thunderstorms may develop after 2pm, accompanied by sunny, hot conditions with a high temperature near 100°F and heat index values reaching up to 109°F. Monday night will be mostly clear with a low temperature around 75°F. [NWS]


Countywide

Amid an extended stretch of dangerous heat, humidity and potential drought, flooding hasn’t been the D.C. area’s top meterological concern this summer, but the possibility might’ve crossed some minds during a passing downpour on Wednesday (July 10) — remnants of Hurricane Beryl, which has devastated other parts of the U.S. and the Caribbean.

With climate change exacerbating storms and other extreme weather, Fairfax County has created a new grant program that will reimburse residents who shore up their home against flooding.


Countywide

Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s recent executive order to limit phone use in Virginia schools may align with a new pilot program being considered by Fairfax County Public Schools.

Signed Wednesday (July 10), the executive order directs the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to gather feedback from parents, teachers, and administrators to create guidelines for enforcing “cell-phone-free” classrooms in public schools.


News

The Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail will be momentarily off limits near Reston Town Center, as construction continues on a new pedestrian bridge.

The trail will be closed from Friday, July 26 through Sunday, July 28 while workers install the bridge, which will cross over the trail to connect the existing town center with the Reston Next development emerging around the Metro station.


Crossing University Drive at Main Street in Fairfax City (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Scam Warning From County Animal Shelter — “SCAM ALERT! We’ve become aware of scammers falsely claiming to represent our shelter, calling pet owners alleging that we have their pets and requesting funds for urgent medical expenses. If you receive any suspicious communications, please hang up and contact us directly.” [Fairfax County Animal Shelter/Twitter]

McLean Rower Has Qualified for Olympics — “Fifteen athletes from Virginia have qualified for the Paris Summer Olympic Games as Team USA continues to take shape. Among those 15 Virginians is 27-year-old Claire Collins of McLean, who is a member of the U.S. Women’s Rowing Team.” [Patch]

Culmore Library Renaming Approved — “The Fairfax County Library Board of Trustees voted on July 10 to rename the Woodrow Wilson Library the Culmore Community Library…Over the past few months, the Library Board received numerous comments from the community urging the board to change the name citing Wilson’s support for racial segregation.” [Annandale Today]

Dulles Ranked Among World’s Best Airports — “Dulles International Airport ranks as the 11th best airport in the world, a ranking by AirHelp finds. AirHelp, a passenger rights tech company that assists passengers with flight disruptions, crunched data for 239 of the world’s busiest airports in 69 countries.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Local Delegate Reflects on General Assembly Session — “Active, highly partisan and ultimately productive are how Del. Rip Sullivan (D-McLean) described this year’s General Assembly session at the McLean Citizens Association’s July 3 board meeting.” His adopted bills included ones that address tree preservation and allergic reaction awareness training. [Gazette Leader]

Park Authority Recognizes Top Volunteers — “At its meeting on July 10, the Fairfax County Park Authority Board approved a resolution honoring 23 individuals as 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]

Virginia Named No. 1 State for Business — “With the nation’s best education system and policies that give companies room — both literally and figuratively — to grow, Virginia is America’s Top State for Business in 2024. This is the Old Dominion’s sixth time at the top of CNBC’s rankings, and its third win in five years.” [CNBC]

It’s Friday — Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms, increasing after 7am with a high near 81. Precipitation likelihood is 90%, with new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half an inch. Friday night brings a 70% chance of showers. Temperatures dip to around 73, and another quarter to half an inch of rain is expected. [NWS]


Countywide

Fairfax County is set to receive close to $51 million from the federal government to buy 60 new diesel-electric hybrid Connector buses.

Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner announced yesterday (Wednesday) that the county has been awarded over $50.5 million for the buses from the Federal Transportation Administration’s Low or No Emission Grant program, which has funded more than 1,100 buses in 47 states.


News

Herndon Town Manager Bill Ashton’s nearly three-decade-long career with the town government will come to a close this fall.

The town announced last night (Wednesday) that Ashton will resign as its top administrative official in order to take a new job as county administrator for Stafford. His final day as town manager will be Sept. 10.


News

Reston Community Center (RCC) will update its Hunters Woods facility this summer, requiring some reductions in programming and a temporary closure of its swimming pool.

Starting on July 22, contractors are slated to replace the elevator and install solar panels, among other energy improvements, in the nearly 50-year-old flagship building at 2310 Colts Neck Road. The Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center will be closed during construction, which is expected to last through Sept. 6.


Storm clouds gather over Vienna’s Red Caboose and Conte’s Bike Shop (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Heat-Related Deaths Reported — “Seven people have died as a result of heat in the Washington region, authorities confirmed Wednesday, as blistering temperatures have forced elected officials to cancel public events, close down athletic fields and encourage residents to stay indoors.” That includes one person in Virginia, though state officials didn’t provide details. [Washington Post]

Domestic Assault in Reston Under Investigation — “Fairfax County Police are investigating an assault that took place early Tuesday morning in Reston.” Officers were called to the 2300 block of Freetown Court for a report of a stabbing, but upon arriving, they found a man with injuries that “weren’t consistent with a stabbing,” police say. No hospital visit was needed. [Patch]

Funding Recommended for Transportation Projects — “The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority will present its ranked recommendations Thursday, for funding nearly $700 million in projects to advance the region’s multimodal transportation network.” Traffic signal improvements on Route 7 by Falls Church came out on top for its congestion relief potential relative to cost. [WTOP]

Middle Eastern Cafe Opens in Barcroft Plaza — “The new MQR Café in Barcroft Plaza serves breakfast, sandwiches, and coffee drinks all day. The café opened on July 6 at 6343-E Columbia Pike. Much of the food features Mediterranean/Middle Eastern flavors.” [Annandale Today]

Hybla Valley Mural Design Up for Vote — “Franconia Supervisor Rodney Lusk and the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services invite community input on a mural design for the exterior wall on the east side of Hybla Valley Community Center.” Voting on designs submitted by artists is open until 5 p.m. on July 26. [NCS]

McLean Group Calls for Ambulance Upgrades — “The McLean Citizens Association’s board of directors adopted a resolution July 3 urging Fairfax County officials to purchase power-load cots for the county government’s entire fleet of medical-transport vehicles to reduce injuries to patients and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel.” [Gazette Leader]

County Seeks Input on Disability Services — “The Fairfax Area Commission on Aging (COA) and the Fairfax Area Disability Services Board (FA-DSB) are seeking community input to identify systemic gaps in service and/or barriers Fairfax County residents with disabilities face.” Registration is open for virtual community forums on July 31 and Aug. 2. [FA-DSB]

Permitting Underway for High School Stadium Bathrooms — “Permanent restroom facilities for Mount Vernon, West Potomac, Edison, Hayfield and 11 other public high school athletic stadiums in Fairfax County are expected to be in place by the 2025-2026 school year.” A modular has arrived at Justice High School, but permits for the other sites are still being reviewed. [On the MoVe]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high of around 91 degrees with a westerly wind at about 6 mph. Thursday night will be mostly cloudy with a low near 73, as the northwest wind of around 5 mph becomes calm in the evening. There is a 50% chance of showers during the night. [NWS]


News

Following concerns about frequent traffic accidents and continuous speeding, the Virginia Department of Transportation is gathering feedback from residents via a public survey on the safety of Walker Road in Great Falls.

The survey, which will be active through this Friday (July 12), was initiated at the request of State Sen. Jennifer Boysko, Del. Rip Sullivan, and Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman. It aims to address safety issues along a 2-mile stretch from Colvin Run Road to Georgetown Pike.


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