Rainbow-colored lights illuminate Reston Town Center’s Mercury fountain for Pride Month (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Va. Attorney General Race Gets First Candidate — “Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor announced Wednesday she will seek the Democratic nomination for Virginia attorney general, emphasizing her track record as a prosecutor in what is likely to be a competitive primary contest for the job now held by Republican Jason S. Miyares.” [Washington Post]

Push for Inclusive Sex-Ed Continues — “Some parents and community members are calling for an overhaul of Fairfax County Public Schools’ sex education curriculum.” Speakers at a recent board meeting urged FCPS to consider coed classes, a proposal that got put on hold in 2022 and wasn’t included in the Family Life Education Advisory Committee’s latest recommendations. [WTOP]

Assault on Security Guard Reported in Reston — “Fairfax County Police are investigating an assault that occurred late Tuesday afternoon in Reston Town Center.” Police say two people approached and assaulted a security guard in the 11900 block of Market Street, though the guard “was not injured.” [Patch]

Montessori Plan for Groveton School Paused — “Quick action by parent leaders at Bucknell Elementary School in Groveton last week led Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to put a hold on plans to transform Bucknell into a magnet public Montessori school.” A requested $15 million grant would’ve created a “lottery-based process” targeted toward parents who might otherwise send their kids to private early education centers. [On the MoVe]

Former Governor Hosts Biden Fundraiser in McLean — “Hosted by former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) in his McLean backyard, Tuesday’s event [was] the largest non-auditorium Biden fundraiser of this election cycle. It sold out in seven days, according to Democratic officials.” It was expected to raise $8 million for President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign. [Axios]

New Gunston Fire Station Will Reroute Trail — “A segment of multiuse trail connecting two parks on opposite sides of Gunston Road in Lorton will be displaced by the new Gunston Fire Station, requiring the trail to be rerouted around the building, according to the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES).” Some worry the new location will be too close to the station. [On the MoVe]

Dulles Airport Wants to Be a Cargo Hub — Dulles International Airport and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership are seeking a consultant to conduct a 12-week feasibility study “to identify specific businesses and industries that could benefit from expanded cargo operations at IAD.” Manager Richard Golinowski says Dulles is better positioned now than it was a decade ago “thanks to business growth not just in Virginia and Maryland, but also in states likely to use a Dulles hub, such as West Virginia and Kentucky.” [Washington Business Journal]

Local Credit Unions Propose Merger — “Apple Federal Credit Union, with $4.4 billion in assets, and $532 million-asset NextMark Credit Union recently announced their intent to merge later this year, with Apple FCU being the surviving institution. Terms weren’t disclosed but the merger agreement is expected to close by November, pending approval from regulators and NextMark’s members.” [WBJ]

It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny conditions and a high near 91 today, with calm winds picking up from the south at around 6 mph in the afternoon. For Thursday night, the sky will be partly cloudy, with temperatures cooling down to around 70, accompanied by a 6 mph south wind. [NWS]


Countywide

With no local or state races on the ballot, Fairfax County voters turned out in a trickle today (Tuesday) for relatively low-key primary elections.

In the lone Fairfax County-only race, Rep. Gerry Connolly remains on track for a ninth term representing Virginia’s 11th Congressional District after handily securing the Democratic nomination over challenger Ahsan Nasar.


Around Town

The new owner of the now-closed ShowPlace Icon Theatre at The Boro in Tysons has been revealed.

Look Dine-In Cinemas has signed a deal to take over the 1,795-seat movie theater at 1667 Silver Hill Drive, the Washington Business Journal reports. The theater is slated to reopen on Friday (June 21) after ShowPlace held its final screenings this past Sunday (June 16), FFXnow was told.


News

Fairfax County is considering experimenting with some changes to the main streets in downtown McLean.

At an open house at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Avenue) last night (Monday), the Fairfax County Department of Transportation kicked off a study of five possible pilot projects designed to slow vehicles down and make roads in the McLean Community Business Center (CBC) safer for pedestrians and cyclists.


Countywide

In half a decade, George Mason University students and faculty will help NASA launch an “artificial star” into space.

The university’s Fairfax campus will serve as mission control for the Landolt NASA Space Mission, which will send a laser-pointing satellite into Earth’s orbit in 2029, GMU announced on June 10. The artificial star created by the satellite will help scientists more accurately calculate the brightness of real stars.


Around Town

McLean’s Chesterbrook Shopping Center will officially welcome two new retail tenants this week, while preparing for another anticipated launch later in the summer.

The openings will kick off today (Tuesday) with SkinSpirit, a skin care and medical spa that describes itself as a “leading provider of Botox and filler.” Located at 6224 Old Dominion Drive, Suite D, this is the clinic’s first location in Virginia and its third in the D.C. area.


Pedestrian walkway between office buildings in Capital One Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Brace for Heat This Week — “The National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts a prolonged period of hot weather this week with temperatures in the 90s, with increasing humidity and high temperatures. The combination of heat and humidity could result in heat indices above 100 degrees.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Driver Dies After Crashing Into House — “On May 13, around 10 a.m., officers responded to View Lane and Bold Lion Lane in Newington for a single-vehicle crash into a house.” Ellsworth Jackson Jr., 69, of Alexandria died at a hospital on May 22. A medical examiner determined that he died as a result of injuries from the crash, which occurred when he experienced a medical emergency. [FCPD]

Polls Open for Congressional Primaries — Polls across Fairfax County opened at 6 a.m. today (Tuesday) for a primary election that will determine “representatives for Virginia’s 10th and 11th Congressional districts, as well as the Republican who will challenge Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine this fall.” Polls will close at 7 p.m. [FFXnow]

Pizza Shop Opens in Annandale — “Jet’s Pizza opens [Monday] at 7026 Columbia Pike in the Annandale Shopping Center. Jet’s features Detroit-style deep-dish pizza, which is similar to Chicago pizza but is baked in a rectangular pan. That tends to make a better crust, says General Manager Bronson Parry.” [Annandale Today]

Vienna to Host Naturalization Ceremony — “On Saturday, June 29, 2024, 15 people from all walks of life will take that oath during a naturalization ceremony at 5 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center…The new U.S. citizens will be granted full voting rights and liberties granted to all native-born Americans.” The town previously hosted a ceremony in 2022. [Town of Vienna]

Oakton Rec Center Getting Facility Improvements — “The Fairfax County Park Authority will close Oakmont RECenter in Oakton from Aug. 19 through Sept. 14 to conduct several improvements following the close of summer camps. The agency will perform several building-maintenance projects and upgrades simultaneously to minimize the length of the closure.” [Gazette Leader]

New Principals Named for Elementary Schools — “Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has announced new administrative leadership at two elementary schools that feed into West Potomac High School: Fort Hunt Elementary School (ES) and Hollin Meadows ES.” Jean Consolla will be the new principal for Fort Hunt, starting Aug. 1, and Jasibi Crews will get the position at Hollin Meadows. [On the MoVe]

Reston Pool Scheduled to Close on Friday — “The Hunters Woods Pool Facility will be closed for maintenance on Friday, June 21. It is expected to reopen on Saturday, June 22. In the meantime, pass holders are advised to visit nearby pool facilities, including Dogwood, Shadowood, and Glade.” [Reston Association/Twitter]

It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies and a high around 93 degrees with south winds at 8 to 10 mph. Tuesday night will be partly cloudy, with lows near 68. For Juneteenth on Wednesday, June 19, the weather will be mostly sunny, reaching a high near 91 degrees. [NWS]


Countywide

One of Fairfax County’s top administrative officials is stepping down from her post.

Deputy County Executive Rachel Flynn will retire on July 5, a county spokesperson says. A Google employee before she joined Fairfax County in 2019, Flynn oversees the public works, transportation, code compliance, and planning and development departments, along with the park authority.


News

Multiple people were hospitalized last night (Sunday) following a two-vehicle crash on I-66 near Vienna.

The two vehicles crashed in the interstate’s westbound lanes around 11:13 p.m. at the 62-mile marker near Nutley Street, according to the Virginia State Police. One of the vehicles caught on fire, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department said.


Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA and D.C. with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or Laura@GuidingYourMove.com.

I love a quick day trip to change things up for everyone.

A day at the beach is good for my soul, along with my family, but some of you may prefer an amusement park or other activity, so trying to pull together a list of quick day trips for you we have:

Beaches

  • Colonial Beach, Virginia: 90 minutes away from Tysons, easy parking, on the Potomac River so very few waves, shallow water, fishing pier. Cute snow cone and ice cream spot (try the chocolate éclair ice cream!).
  • Aquia Landing Park — Stafford, Virginia: About an hour from Tysons, there’s a fee for access, popular fishing spot and beach for swimming.
  • Sandy Point — Annapolis, Maryland: An hour drive from Tysons, Sandy Point is a popular beach for a day just before the Chesapeake Bay Bridge with lots of space for distancing, sand and water.
  • Mason Neck State Park — Lorton, Virginia: This small hidden gem is located under an hour from Tysons and offers fishing, canoe and kayak rentals (call ahead for a reservation), swimming and walking trails. There’s also a golf course.
  • Lake Anna State Park — Spotsylvania, Virginia: About 2 hours away, sand and water for swimming and playing, camping grounds for overnight stays, no tents allowed on the beach, lots of walking trails.
  • Calvert Cliffs — Lusby, Maryland: Located about 90 minutes from Tysons, Calvert Cliffs is a Maryland state park featuring fishing, swimming and walking trails. $7 per car day use for Virginia state plates.
  • Matapeake Clubhouse & Beach: Just over an hour to Kent Island, Maryland, this is a public beach for swimming. This is also a dog friendly beach. 

Amusement Parks

  • Hershey Park: About 2-2.5 hours
  • Dutch Wonderland: About 2.5 hours, great for the elementary school or younger kids
  • Six Flags — Bowie, Maryland: About an hour
  • Kings Dominion: 1.5 hours

Hope you enjoy the start to your summer!

Sunglasses (Photo via Ethan Robertson on Unsplash)

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