Though summer is winding down, Wolf Trap won’t be quiet for long, as The Barns prepares to kick off a new season later this fall.
Actor and singer Matthew Morrison, best known for his role as Will Schuester on the polarizing teen show “Glee,” and tributes to icons like the Beatles and Joni Mitchell will be among the highlights of The Barns at Wolf Trap’s 2026-2027 season, announced yesterday (Tuesday) by the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts.
A new developer has stepped in to complete Reston’s Halley Rise neighborhood, but it says some changes are needed for that to happen.
Revised development plans submitted to Fairfax County by Halley Rise Holdings LLC on July 31 would concentrate office space on the south side of the approximately 36-acre property, moving two future buildings closer to the existing One and Two Halley Rise offices.
Home sales edged up slightly across Fairfax County, while average prices also were modestly higher year over year in July, according to new data.
A total of 1,148 properties went to closing last month, up 0.4% from the 1,144 transactions in July 2025, according to figures reported Aug. 11 by Bright MLS, the region’s multiple-listing service, based on figures from MarketStats by ShowingTime.
A man accused of sexually assaulting a woman on the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail in Herndon in 2024 has pleaded guilty to the charge of rape.
Denis Humberto Roman Navarette, 33, pleaded guilty yesterday (Tuesday) in Fairfax County Circuit Court, according to court records. Per a plea agreement, he could serve up to 18 years in prison, which the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney says exceeds the midpoint of Virginia’s Criminal Sentencing Guidelines for the crime.
Death Investigation in Herndon — “Officers responded [on Tuesday, Aug. 11] to a death investigation in the 1200-block of Bond St. There is no threat to the public and no further information at this time,” though a police spokesperson confirmed no criminal activity is suspected. [Herndon Police/Facebook]
Apple Settles Discrimination Claims — “Apple has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s claims that the manager of a retail store [in Reston] made antisemitic comments and denied a Jewish longtime employee’s requests for time off before firing him.” [Reuters]
Sweetgreen Adding Drive-Thru in McLean — “Sweetgreen built its D.C.-born brand around millennials and downtown professionals. Nearly 20 years later, the homegrown chain says its future looks more like McLean. Its newest concept — launching Aug. 20 — is the region’s first ‘Sweetlane,’ a drive-thru pickup.” The McLean location will be the company’s fourth overall to add a drive-thru lane. [Axios DC]
Herndon Engineering Firm to be Acquired — “Bernhard Capital Partners, a Baton Rouge, Louisiana, private equity firm, has struck a deal to acquire Bowman [Consulting Group] for $1 billion in cash — or $43 per share — and take it private. The acquisition, announced Monday, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2027 — unless Bowman (NASDAQ: BWMN) receives a better offer” by Sept. 13. [Washington Business Journal]
Community Hub Launches in Culmore — “Free toys for kids, resources for adults, and free food for everyone: that’s the concept of the Unity in the Community event in Culmore. George Mason University’s Place-Based Initiative and the Mason Police District sponsored the event,” which took place on Monday, Aug. 10 to celebrate the launch of PBI’s Culmore Community Health and Wellness Hub at a local church. [Annandale Today]
Rehab Center Opens in Burke — “Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center has opened two new Sentara Therapy Centers in Manassas and Burke, expanding access to rehabilitation and physical therapy services for residents throughout Prince William and the region … The Manassas facility is at 9962 Liberia Ave., while the Burke center is at 9520 Burke Road.” [Inside NoVA]
Tysons Contractor Hired to Build Football Stadium — “McLean-based Clark Construction Group, Minneapolis-based Mortenson Co. and D.C.-based Smoot Construction Co. will lead construction of the 1.8-million-square-foot, 70,000-seat stadium, the Commanders announced Tuesday. Site work began in June, led by the same trio, and construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2027.” [WBJ]
D.C. Chefs to Serve Some Dulles Flights — “Two Washington, D.C., chefs are bringing new dishes to international flights from Dulles through United Airlines’ collaboration with Chef’s Table, the brand behind the acclaimed Netflix culinary series … The dishes are available beginning in August on nearly two dozen long-haul flights from Dulles that serve lunch or dinner.” [Patch]
It’s Wednesday — Expect partly sunny skies with a high near 87°F. Night will have a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m. Skies will be mostly cloudy before clearing, with temperatures dropping to around 70°F. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
A handful of federal workers are reportedly in the process of being moved from their established home in Reston to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s headquarters in D.C.
The relocation of the Interior Department’s Business Integration Office (BIO) from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) campus will affect only 17 employees, but Reps. Suhas Subramanyam and James Walkinshaw, who represent Virginia’s 10th and 11th Congressional Districts, argue that it will seriously undercut the agency’s effectiveness.
GW Parkway Lane Closures Begin in Northern Section — “Drivers will face road closures in McLean, Virginia, on the George Washington Parkway beginning Monday as crews conduct routine maintenance to nearby trees. The good news for commuters is that the closures will not take place during morning or afternoon rush hour. The northbound lanes of the George Washington Parkway between Spout Run Parkway and Chain Bridge Road/Route 123 are scheduled to be closed from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays until Sept. 1.” [WTOP]
Former Academy Sold by Saudi Embassy — “The 34-acre property on Popes Head Road was sold by the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia to an affiliate of the International Institute of Islamic Thought for $4.6 million on July 13, according to Fairfax County property records.” [Washington Business Journal]
Firefighters Respond to Vienna House Fire — “#FairfaxBravest are on the scene of a house fire near Onondio Circle SE and Aponi Rd SE in Vienna. Crews arrived with fire showing from the side and exterior. Utilities secured and fire extinguished. No injuries. Cause under investigation.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department/X]
Digital Protections for Children Presented to State Lawmakers — “On Wednesday, lawmakers considered a measure that would further require app store providers like Google and Apple to independently audit their products’ age ratings and content descriptions. This step would also require parental controls to be easy to find, understand, and configure, and require app stores to provide a clear and conspicuous mechanism to improve oversight. Another idea [Joint Commission on Technology and Science] discussed was limiting parental consent to apps rated above the account holder’s age category and apps offering in-app purchases.” [Virginia Mercury]
FCPD Road Shark Program Returns — “Drivers across Fairfax County can expect stepped-up traffic enforcement for the next week as police launch the third round of the “Road Shark” program, an initiative aimed at cracking down on aggressive and dangerous driving … During the seven-day enforcement period, officers will be out 24/7 in every nook and cranny of the county to catch dangerous driving behaviors in an effort to reduce deadly and serious injuries.” [WJLA]
It’s Tuesday — Expect a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms today, especially after 5 PM, with a high near 90°F and a northwest wind at 5 to 8 mph. Rainfall may reach up to a quarter of an inch, more during thunderstorms. Tonight, showers and thunderstorms are likely before 1 AM, with a low around 72°F. It will be mostly cloudy, with winds shifting to the northwest after midnight, and similar rainfall amounts. [NWS]
Want more local news? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow, with the latest from across the region.
Fairfax County is leading solar panel installations and signups from a solar program backed by Virginia’s governor as homeowners look for ways to address rising electricity costs.
Switch Together, a bulk purchasing initiative to connect residents to solar installers, was recently expanded from Northern Virginia to other parts of the state. It was previously only open in Fairfax and Arlington counties, with Alexandria joining the roster last summer.
Home sale prices across the D.C. region grew at about half the national rate in the second quarter of 2026, but local home values remained well above the national average.
The D.C. metro area recorded a 0.9% increase in year-over-year median sales price in the April to June period, according to figures reported by the National Association of Realtors.
Fast-casual Chinese American restaurant Panda Express has opened its latest location in Herndon with a ribbon cutting Monday (Aug. 10).
The new drive-thru location at 598 Elden Street had a ribbon cutting at 9:30 a.m. Monday. The restaurant also provided a $1,000 check donation to Reston-based nonprofit Cornerstones and free T-shirts for the first 88 customers in line at the grand opening.
