The donut business started by two former Washington Capitals players permanently closed its shop at Idylwood Plaza (7511 Leesburg Pike) after Saturday, July 14, just a month shy of the location’s ninth anniversary.
Officials participate in a ceremonial groundbreaking for Somos at McLean Metro, a 456-unit workforce housing apartment complex in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Construction has commenced on an affordable housing project in Tysons that the developer, local officials and their financial partners touted yesterday (Wednesday) as literally and metaphorically groundbreaking.
With two cranes looming above and excavators rumbling around the cleared site in the background, representatives from SCG Development, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Amazon and more shoveled some dirt to formally celebrate the start of work on Somos at McLean Metro, which will deliver two apartment buildings with 456 workforce dwelling units (WDUs).
Workers maintain a tree at the Mosaic District in Merrifield (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Covid Cases on the Rise — “COVID-19 activity is increasing across the U.S. and Virginia, including in the Fairfax Health District. Emergency department visits for individuals who are diagnosed with COVID-19 have increased to 3.3% of all emergency department visits — up from 1.2% in early June. Although still low overall, this is the highest proportion reported since late January 2024.” [Fairfax County Health Department]
Compass Coffee Workers Vote in Union Election — “All 22 workers whose ballots went unchallenged voted in favor of a union, according to tallies from the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday. But union organizers and Compass representatives challenged 101 ballots, which puts the issue in the NLRB’s hands.” [Washington Post]
Reston Contractors Engage in Court Battle — “CACI International Inc. sued Science Applications International Corp. in Fairfax County Circuit Court on July 8, alleging SAIC did not fulfill its commitments as the prime contractor on an Air Force contract…CACI is seeking monetary damages of $16.8 million plus interest for the lost revenue and $25,546 per employee per month for each CACI employee” who was “solicited” by SAIC. [Washington Business Journal]
Fairfax City Plan to Reduce Water Pollution Approved — “The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality reviewed and approved Fairfax City’s draft third-phase Chesapeake Bay TMDL (total maximum daily load) Action Plan. The action plan outlines the city’s strategies to reduce pollutant discharges to the Chesapeake Bay watershed.” [City of Fairfax]
New Summer Programs at Mount Vernon — With its education center closed for renovations on top of an ongoing preservation project for its main mansion, George Washington’s Mount Vernon is shaking up its programming with “a series of themed weekends, each one highlighting a specific aspect of 18th century life.” [Washingtonian]
Results of Vienna Police Stop-Sign Crackdown — “In one of their yearly targeted-enforcement campaigns, officers with the Vienna Police Department Operations Division this past month cracked down on stop-sign violations within the community and issued 236 stop-sign citations and 153 citations for various other traffic violations, officials announced July 16.” [Gazette Leader]
McLean Restaurant Owner Discusses Journey — “Fahrenheit Asian is steeped in the Szechuan traditions that owner and chef Lilly Qin grew up with in her parents’ restaurant in Chantilly. But she is also charting a new path, constantly experimenting with new riffs on classic dishes.” [Washington Post]
Area Country Clubs Report Revenue Increases — In the D.C. area, International Country Club in Chantilly reported the biggest revenue jump (54.5%) from 2020 to 2022, though the Belle Haven (49%), Springfield (28.9%) and Army Navy (27%) country clubs also saw increases. However, “for many clubs nationwide, the pandemic-era revenue surge came along with skyrocketing expenses.” [WBJ]
It’s Thursday — Skies will be partly sunny with a high near 89 before thunderstorms potentially arrive after 5pm. At night, skies will be partly cloudy with a low around 69 and a 30% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
The future of data center development in Fairfax County remains in limbo after the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously last night (Tuesday) to delay their decision on a contentious zoning amendment another two weeks.
The supervisors said they needed more time to consider the input provided by 65 residents, attorneys, environmental activists and other community members during a public hearing that lasted nearly five hours.
Fairfax County plans to eventually extend Town Center Parkway from Sunset Hills Road to Sunrise Valley Drive via an underpass under the Dulles Toll Road (via Volkert study)
With development continuing to emerge around Reston Town Center, Fairfax County is making a new push to obtain funding for a long-planned extension of the Town Center Parkway.
The proposed Dulles Toll Road underpass, which will connect Sunrise Valley Drive and Sunset Hills Road, is one of four major projects that the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) plans to submit for state funding from Virginia’s FY 2026- FY2031 Smart Scale Program.
Caboose Brewing won a gold medal at the 2024 U.S. Open Beer Championship for its Boxcar Brown Ale (courtesy Caboose Brewing Company)
One of the best brews in the country can be found right in Fairfax County at Caboose Brewing Company, according to the judges of the 2024 U.S. Open Beer Championship.
The brewery, which owns and operates Caboose Tavern (520 Mill Street) in Vienna and Caboose Commons (2918 Eskridge Road) near the Mosaic District in Merrifield, won a gold medal at the national competition, which announced winners in dozens of categories on July 9.
A solar panel demonstration project outside Luther Jackson Middle School (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
In a bid to cut energy costs by tens of thousands of dollars, the Fairfax County School Board finalized a deal with a local solar developer last month to outfit nine elementary schools across the county with 250-kilowatt (kW) solar panels.
The solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) comes years after the school board approved a series of much larger solar projects that were halted after Dominion Energy introduced new interconnection rules that substantially increased project costs, rendering the projects economically unfeasible.
Paris Olympics-bound fencer Hadley Husisian during the epee women's 2023-2024 season
(photo by #BizziTeam via USA Fencing)
When the 2024 Olympic Games begin in Paris, France, next week, there will be a few athletes competing to bring a medal back to their homes in Fairfax County.
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee announced on July 10 that 529 athletes have qualified to represent Team USA at the Olympics, including McLean rower Claire Collins, Clifton soccer player Griffin Yow, and diver Greg Duncan and fencer Hadley Husisian, who are both from Oakton.
Matthew Duffy’s “Mutual Understanding, Mutual Respect” sculpture outside the North County Governmental Center in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
County Activates Heat Plan — With a Heat Advisory issued for 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., “Fairfax County has activated its Heat Plan for Wednesday, July 17. When Fairfax County’s heat plan is activated, cooling centers around the county will be available during normal operating hours for individuals needing relief from the heat.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]
Police Department Shares Quarterly Crime Report — The Fairfax County Police Department has issued its First Quarter 2024 Crime Report for the period from Jan. 1 through March 31. Notable findings include an increase in traffic fatalities, declines in motor vehicle part thefts and carjackings, and an uptick in assaults. [FCPD]
Youngkin Speaks at Republican Convention — “With the 2024 talk fully behind him, the 74th governor of Virginia started anew — by appearing to lay the groundwork for a potential run in 2028. At least that’s how political analysts saw his speeches Tuesday to party activists in South Carolina and California over breakfast at their suburban Milwaukee hotels.” [Washington Post]
Virginia Backs Challenge to Transgender Rights — “Attorney General Jason Miyares is spearheading an amicus brief requesting the U.S. Supreme Court hear a case centered on protecting parental rights to ‘make decisions concerning the care, custody, and control of their children.'” A group of Wisconsin parents filed the lawsuit in a bid to overturn a school division’s policy “allowing students to change their gender identity at school without parental consent or notification.” [Virginia Mercury]
Route 28 Project Gets More Funding — “Transportation planners have approved a second round of funding in long-range plans to improve the commute on Virginia Route 28 between Manassas Park and Fairfax County.” The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority has allocated $40 million for road improvements between Manassas and Yorkshire. [WTOP]
County’s First Black High School Marks 70th Anniversary — “Reaves and Taylor were among the alumni who came to Luther Jackson Middle School on July 14 for the school’s 70th anniversary celebration.” The occasion featured a “living wax museum,” a student art exhibit, music, games and “discussions of the school’s history.” [Annandale Today]
Langley HS Hires New Baseball Coach — Rob Hahne, who led the Westfield Bulldogs to a regional championship last year, was hired on July 11 as the new head coach for Langley High School’s baseball team. “Hahne had unique interest in the position because he graduated from Langley in 1987, where he was a standout player, plus he grew up in that neighborhood.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Wednesday — Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms starting at noon, with a high near 97 and heat index values up to 107. At night, the low will be around 74, with southwest winds at 5-7 mph. The chance of precipitation is 80%. [NWS]
A Fairfax Connector bus in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
The price of taking Fairfax Connector is officially going up.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the bus system’s first fare increase in seven years without discussion at a meeting today (Tuesday). Starting on July 29, fares will jump about 12% from $2 to $2.25 for the base rate and from $4.25 to $4.80 for express fares.