News

By MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press

SASKATOON, Canada (AP) — U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin broke the world record for the free skate in winning Skate Canada with ease on Sunday, keeping his two-year unbeaten streak intact and underscoring his status as favorite to win Olympic gold at the Milano-Cortina Games.


News

The travel agent who pretended to organize a preseason trip to the Bahamas for the George Mason University men’s basketball team will spend the next 13 months behind bars.

Maurice Eugene Smith, 44, was sentenced today (Thursday) to one year and one month in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud back in April, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced.


News

Fairfax County supervisors on Tuesday (Aug. 26) honored five teams and multiple individuals for winning Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 6 state championships in spring sports competition.

“This has become a special tradition — a proud moment,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said during the presentation, which filled the board auditorium at the Fairfax County Government Center with student-athletes, coaches and families.


News

Though it’s not going to host their new stadium, Fairfax County continues to put its stamp on the Washington Commanders.

D.C.’s NFL team has granted the naming rights to its training facility in Ashburn to BigBear.ai, a Tysons-based contractor that develops artificial intelligence technology.


News

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.


News

Two Fairfax County natives are a step closer to achieving their professional baseball dreams after being chosen in the 2025 MLB draft.

James Quinn-Irons, a Reston resident who currently attends and plays for George Mason University, was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the draft’s fifth round on Monday (July 14). He was the 147th overall pick.


Around Town

Soccer fever is in the air, with the FIFA World Cup and the Tysons Community Alliance’s COPA Tysons Soccer Fest both back in action.

After making its debut last year, COPA Tysons returned this summer with a series of watch parties and promotions, culminating in a soccer festival and tournament at Ken Lawrence Park (8008 Jones Branch Drive) this Saturday (June 21).


News

The Fairfax County Park Authority is inviting public comment on a plan to build three new pickleball courts at Greenbriar Park (4600 Stringfellow Road) near Fair Lakes.

The proposal aims to “address the growing demand for pickleball facilities” after the sport’s meteoric rise in recent years. The hope is also to cut down on community concerns about “shared court usage” at nearby parks.


News

Reston Association (RA) is looking for community input on plans to renovate the Lake Newport Tennis Court.

The courts at 11452 Baron Cameron Avenue are currently funded for renovation sometime in 2026 or 2027, with community engagement and engineering starting this year.


News

A Georgia-based travel agent faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for his role in defrauding the George Mason men’s basketball team out of a trip to The Bahamas in August.

Maurice Eugene Smith, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in federal court earlier this month, stemming from a scheme he orchestrated that left George Mason’s plans for the trip unbooked and unpaid for, according to federal court documents.


View More Stories