A summer day at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston (staff photo by Scott Brodbeck)

New Covid Vaccines Approved — “The Food and Drug Administration approved new mRNA coronavirus vaccines Thursday, clearing the way for shots manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna to start hitting pharmacy shelves and doctor’s offices within a week.” [Washington Post]

TikTok Star Boosts Fairfax Restaurant — “MMA fighter turned TikTok star Keith Lee has brought his food review tour to the D.C. area and is already showing how much of an impact his ‘effect’ has on local restaurants. On Tuesday, Lee, who has over 16 million followers on the app, visited Okonomi Asian Grill in Fairfax” and later donated $2,000. [WTOP]

Sandwich Shop Opens in Huntington — “JAWA Sandwich Shop opened for business in early August at Huntington Gateway. The store, owned by Seung Lee, features a variety of grilled and hot sandwiches like brisket pastrami on sourdough; specialty sandwiches like tropical shrimp salad; grilled panini and deli sandwiches, as well as soups and salads.” [On the MoVe]

VDOT to Lift Lane Closures for Labor Day — “VDOT will be suspending many highway work zones and lifting most lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia from noon on Friday, Aug. 30, until noon on Tuesday, Sept. 3…Additionally, VDOT offers several resources to help plan travel ahead of time.” [VDOT]

Repairs Needed at Park Basketball Courts — “The Fairfax County Park Authority will soon begin repairing the basketball courts at Groveton Heights Park and Centre Ridge North Park. Construction is expected to begin this week, and weather permitting, take approximately three weeks to complete.” [FCPA]

Fairfax City to Promote Solo Driving Alternatives — “The City of Fairfax is celebrating ‘Get There Differently’ during the whole month of September — which includes Car Free Day on Sept. 23 — by encouraging residents to try an alternative to drive-alone commuting.” Incentives include free day passes for Capital Bikeshare rentals, a raffle and surprise prize giveaways to CUE bus riders. [City of Fairfax]

Spirit Halloween Stores Already Popping Up — “In Fairfax, Spirit Halloween will open in the former Charming Charlies store at, 11794 Fair Oaks Mall, 104A. The store is listed as ‘coming soon’ without a specified date.” The seasonal retailer is already open at Tysons Corner Center and Seven Corners, with stores in Bailey’s Crossroads and Rose Hill coming soon. [Patch]

It’s Friday — Expect a sunny day with temperatures reaching up to 84 degrees and light, variable winds. As night falls on Friday, the skies will be mostly clear with temperatures dropping to around 61 degrees, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 3 to 5 mph. [NWS]


Address: 6338 Stevenson Avenue
Neighborhood: Landmark
Type: 4 BR, 3 (+1 half) BA townhouse — 1,868 sq. ft.
Listed: $789,900

Noteworthy: 4 story townhomes with spacious rooftop decks, quartz counters and 2 car garages

Open Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25 from 2-4 p.m.

Welcome to Edgewood Towns, a new townhome community in Alexandria presented by Old Creek Homes. These elegant homes boast 4 levels, with decks and spacious rooftops perfect for outdoor entertaining.

Each home features a professionally curated color scheme with elegant brickwork and Hardie Plank siding. With 9-foot ceilings, open floor plans and luxury finishes throughout, these homes are sure to leave you stunned. Modern shaker cabinets grace the kitchens and bathrooms along with quartz countertops and designer ceramic tile. The primary bedroom has a large walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom with double sinks and a walk-in shower.

Edgewood Towns is just steps away from the new Landmark town center. There are only 3 homes left, and buyers can select their own finishes!

Listed by:
Ian McVeigh — Samson Properties
ian@iansselectteam.com
(703) 965-2304


News

Police have made another arrest in connection to the theft of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from Chanel’s store in Tysons Galleria.

The Fairfax County Police Department previously identified three individuals as suspects in the June 25 robbery. One man was arrested in Pennsylvania on Aug. 7, but two others — a 27-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man, also from Pennsylvania — were still being located.


Countywide

The Fairfax County Animal Shelter (FCAS) will waive adoption fees this Friday through Sunday (Aug. 23-25).

The shelter has more than 160 animals waiting for adoption, it said in a press release. That includes cats, dogs, guinea pigs, mice and rabbits.


News

A Vienna man who came under FBI scrutiny for allegedly suggesting a militia make explosives could serve prison time for having a deadly toxin.

Russell Richardson Vane IV, 42, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday (Wednesday) to possessing ricin — a poison derived from castor beans that can be fatal to people exposed to it — without a registration, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced.


Office buildings near the Greensboro Metro station in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Police Search for Kingstowne Robbery Suspects — A worker was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after a commercial robbery in the 5700 block of Kingstowne Blvd on Aug. 7. Police say the employee “attempted to stop” a man and woman from leaving the store after they took merchadise without paying. The woman then “discharged pepper spray at the employee.” [FCPD]

Circus Coming to GMU — “Tickets for the upcoming performances of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus in Fairfax are now on sale. Billed as The Greatest Show on Earth, Ringling Bros. will be bringing more than 75 performers from 18 countries and presenting 50 circus acts from March 23 to April 6, 2025 at EagleBank Arena” on George Mason University’s Fairfax campus. [Patch]

Metro Workers Secure New Contract — “Metro workers will have to take at least 10 hours off between shifts and see some caps to their raises, under the terms of a new union contract signed Wednesday…The changes address long-standing concerns over worker exhaustion as well as high labor costs.” [Washington Post]

State Police Release Annual Crime Data — “Virginia had fewer homicides, but more vehicle thefts and drug arrests, during 2023, according to the annual statewide report released Aug. 20 by Virginia State Police…There were 20,824 violent-crime offenses reported last year versus 20,549 in 2022, a 1.3 percent increase.” [Gazette Leader]

Events Venue Opens in Hybla Valley — “Tucked away toward the rear of an unassuming Richmond Highway strip mall, a former mattress and furniture store has been transformed into a high-end event and meeting space. Known as Vista Banquet Hall, the new facility has been a labor of love for its owner, Lydia Kassa, who first started searching for a space to open it four years ago.” [On the MoVe]

Learn About Fairfax City School Bond Projects — “There will be a school bond referendum on the city ballot for the Nov. 5, 2024, General Election — and you can learn more about it at community engagement sessions on Aug. 22, Sept. 30, and Oct. 15.” The requested $220 million in bonds will be used to renovate the Providence and Daniels Run elementary schools and replace Fairfax High School’s roof. [City of Fairfax]

Kristin Chenoweth Teases Wolf Trap Show — “You’ve seen her on Broadway and on TV. Ahead of her September 13 show at Wolf Trap, this Emmy- and Tony Award–winning actress talks about what she’s been up to and the magic you’ll see on stage,” where she’ll perform with fellow movie, TV and theater actor Alan Cumming. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunshine and a high around 79°F with a northwest wind at 5 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear, reaching a low of approximately 58°F with calm winds. [NWS]


Around Town

With temperatures at least temporarily feeling almost autumnal, the Vienna Business Association (VBA) is already starting to hype up its upcoming Oktoberfest.

The annual festival and fundraiser for the VBA will celebrate its 15th anniversary from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, bringing food, beer, artisan and business vendors, and live entertainment to the Church Street area in downtown Vienna.


Countywide

Fairfax County is taking a new approach to economic development, one that it hopes will place a greater emphasis on results rather than process.

By replacing the long-standing Economic Advisory Commission (EAC) with a Council for Economic Opportunity (CEO), the county’s Board of Supervisors can modernize its efforts to encourage county-wide economic growth, Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck says.


Countywide

Virginia students’ reading and math assessments for the 2023-24 school year saw some improvement over last year after months of recovery efforts, according to data released by the Department of Education Tuesday. However, pass rates in other subjects are still behind results from the 2022-23 school year.

Pass rates for grades 3 through 8 in reading, math, and science Standards of Learning tests all showed increases statewide by at least 1%. Writing showed the highest increase — 17 percentage points — while history and social science saw little gain, less than a percentage point.


Around Town

Te’Amo Boba Bar is now serving tea, along with other sweet treats, at the Mosaic District in Merrifield.

The boba tea cafe chain had a soft opening at 8190 Strawberry Lane, Suite 5, on Monday (Aug. 19), making the Merrifield location its first outside of the Chicago, Illinois, area where it originated in 2018.


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