A months-long sidewalk project in the Town of Vienna is getting back on track after halting during last month’s winter storm.
Construction restarted earlier this week a couple of blocks along Park Street SE recently freed from several inches of snow and ice, reducing that section of road to one lane with crews controlling traffic from alternating directions.
Person Killed in I-95 Crash — “One person is dead after being struck by an SUV while involved in an argument on Interstate 95 in Fairfax County overnight.” Occupants of two vehicles in an initial crash before 2 a.m. yesterday (Wednesday) had gotten out of their vehicles and were having an “altercation” when one person “stepped into another travel lane, where a Mercedes-Benz SUV that was traveling south struck them, state police said.” [DC News Now]
Man Arrested for Stealing From Reston Beauty Store — “Investigators with Fairfax County Police Department arrested a 22-year-old Herndon man they say was responsible for a series of thefts” that targeted Sephora at Reston Town Center in December and January. The man has been “charged with eight counts of petit larceny and possession of Schedule I/II narcotics and held on a $5,000 bond.” [Patch]
More Sewage Plaguing Potomac River — “After the sewage spill in the Potomac River a few weeks ago, DC Water began pumping the contaminated water and diverting it to the C&O Canal, but on Sunday, another spill released 600,000 more gallons of sewage into the river.” The spill on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 8) “was caused by a massive clog of non‑disposable wipes flushed down the toilet.” [NBC4]
Demand Soars at Reston Skating Rink — Local figure skater Ilia Malinin’s success leading up to and during the Milan Cortina Olympics has fueled a surge in interest at SkateQuest, the Reston facility where he trains. Executive Director Nate Smith and Skating Director Katie Lange say enrollment in their learn-to-skate program has jumped this year, with the next class expected to reach 800 students — up from 550 students for the same period in 2025. [Washington Business Journal]
Ban on Robert E. Lee License Plates Advances — “Virginia Democrats celebrated the advancement of a bill Tuesday that stops the issuance of license plates honoring Robert E. Lee as part of a broader effort to cut ties with the state’s Confederate past. The bill, introduced by Delegate Dan Helmer, is one of a slew of measures targeting the removal of tax dollars from policies that support a Lost Cause narrative.” [Courthouse News Service]
Metro Construction to Affect DCA Trips — “Travelers heading south to Reagan National Airport should budget extra time this weekend because the Crystal City Metro station will be closed. The station will be closed from Saturday, Feb. 14, through Monday, Feb. 16, in the first of 10 weekend closures between now and June.” [ARLnow]
New Arts Education Leader at RCC — “Coming from a huge family of teachers, Rebecca Campana grew up loving the arts and loves working with people in the arts … On Jan. 14, Campana stepped into her new role as the Reston Community Center’s arts education director, following the retirement of Cheri Danaher, who dedicated 35 years of service to RCC.” [Patch]
Actor Reflects on Growing Up in D.C. Area — “DC native Teddy Sears appears in the NBC medical drama Brilliant Minds and Netflix’s The Night Agent.” He says he didn’t try acting until he moved to New York City in his 20s, instead spending his childhood “swimming in McLean” and visiting the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 38 degrees. The northwest wind will be blowing at a speed of 11 to 15 mph, alongside gusts reaching up to 26 mph. Night will be mostly clear, with the temperature dropping to around 24 degrees. [NWS]
Fairfax County needs to take a more hands-on approach to helping owners repurpose aging commercial properties, one local government leader says.
“We know where they are. We have this information. Let’s identify the top 10, 15 opportunities and let’s go to them,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at an Economic Initiatives Committee meeting on Tuesday (Feb. 10).
A driver who managed to crash onto the Metro tracks from I-66 in Dunn Loring has been taken to a hospital.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department units were dispatched around 11:24 a.m. today (Wednesday) for a crash off I-66 prior to the Cedar Lane bridge.
In between classes, George Mason University students gathered at the Johnson Center in Fairfax to cheer one of their own going for the gold in the winter Olympics.
Ilia Malinin, a 21-year-old figure skater competing in the Milan Cortina Olympics, is also studying for a not-yet-declared major at GMU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The university held a watch party yesterday (Tuesday) as Malinin competed in the qualifying round of the individual men’s short program.
An independent bookstore in Vienna will relocate within the next year after its owner purchased a building nearby.
After 10 years of leasing its current storefront at 110 Church Street NW, it was time to find a permanent home for Bards Alley Bookshop, owner Jennifer Morrow announced today (Wednesday).
For a second year in a row, the Virginia Senate will consider legislation that could pave the way for a casino in Fairfax County.
Senate Bill 756, championed by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34), was advanced on a 10-5 vote yesterday (Tuesday) by the chamber’s Finance and Appropriations Committee with a key revision — criteria that limited potential casino sites to Tysons have now been dropped.
Northern Virginia ended 2025 with nearly 44% more people unemployed than it had started the year.
A total of 57,728 residents were counted as jobless for December, up from 40,203 a year before, according to figures reported Feb. 6 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Democrat Wins State Senate Election — “Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) is getting a promotion in Richmond. Voters in [Tuesday’s] special election gave the Democrat a sweeping victory against Republican Julie Robben Lineberry … setting her up to succeed Sen. Adam Ebbin as he joins Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s administration.” [ALXnow]
Prosecutor Fired After Removal From Case — After being cited for public drinking and getting removed from the high-profile murder case against Brendan Banfield, senior deputy prosecutor Eric Clingan was fired by the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office on Jan. 12 — days before the trial began. “Clingan said he was ‘wrongfully and unfairly terminated and pursuing litigation.'” [WTOP]
Groveton Fatal Shooting Still Unsolved — “Detectives from our Major Crimes Bureau are seeking the community’s assistance in solving a murder that occurred in Groveton more than four years ago.” Ronald Worthy Jr., a 19-year-old Virginia State University student, was found dead with “apparent gunshot wounds” in the Beacon Hill apartment where he was living for the summer with his grandmother on July 27, 2021. [FCPD]
Post-Winter Storm Thaw Finally Begins — “That ‘snowcrete‘ — named for its rock-hard consistency — is finally poised to begin a long, slow fade. Temperatures are expected to climb above freezing each day in the D.C. area for the foreseeable future, with some days next week reaching the 50s or higher.” [Capital Weather Gang]
Bill Could Shift Energy Costs to Data Centers — The Senate Commerce and Labor Committee passed a bill on Monday (Feb. 9) that “would effectively require, with approval from state regulators, new data centers and other high energy use facilities (HEUFs) to cover more of the costs required to serve them.” State Sen. Louise Lucas proposed the amendment to her own bill, which originally focused on energy assistance programs and a push for Dominion Energy to underground its power lines. [VPM News]
Culmore Library Programs Move to Church — “Now that the Culmore Community Library is closed for an HVAC replacement project – and isn’t expected to reopen until January 2027 – library programs will be held at the Culmore Church in Bailey’s Crossroads. According to updated plans for the pop-up library, it won’t have books, said FCPL Marketing and Communications Director Sara Prohaska.” [Annandale Today]
Reston School Helps Student Artists Flourish — “For decades, as part of [Hunters Woods Elementary School’s] artist in residence program, sixth graders have worked with a local artist to produce artwork that gets displayed in the library, hallways or outside the school building. The school’s PTA covers the program costs and the artwork remains there permanently, offering students an opportunity to establish their legacy before leaving for middle school.” [WTOP]
It’s Wednesday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high temperature near 44 degrees and winds potentially gusting up to 32 mph. The nighttime will be partly cloudy with a low temperature around 29 degrees. [NWS]
For anyone seeking a welcome reminder that this winter will eventually end, no matter what the snow still piled up on local sidewalks and parking lots suggests, look no further than Wolf Trap’s newly released summer schedule.
In honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary, a special series celebrating the eclectic music woven into the U.S.’s “rich cultural tapestry” will take center stage at the Filene Center throughout the season, the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts announced today (Tuesday).
