Tysons

Canada Wildfire Smoke in D.C. Area — “A thin veil of smoke from wildfires burning in Canada is worsening air quality and putting a lid on temperatures in the D.C. area. The smoke, which has resulted in some of the world’s worst air quality in the Upper Midwest and Northeast, is wafting through the Mid-Atlantic only in limited quantities, but it’s enough to have a small impact.” [Capital Weather Gang]

Algae Spotted at Lake Accotink — “The blue-green algae bloom has been identified at Lake Accotink Park. While these blooms are seasonally normal and typically clear on their own with the rains, higher concentrations can certain blue-green algae produce toxins that pose serious health risks to people and animals.” The park authority is working with the Virginia Department of Health to monitor the bloom, but for now, it advises avoiding contact with the water. [FCPA/Instagram]

FCPS Seeks Superintendent Bodyguard — “Fairfax County Public Schools is planning to hire a bodyguard for Superintendent Michelle Reid, a move the Virginia school district said is necessary to bolster security in response to recent ‘highly publicized tragic events around the country.'” An unnamed source told WTOP that “Reid has received credible threats,” though the job posting has drawn criticism after FCPS had to reduce promised staff pay raises. [WTOP]

Local Restaurant Owners Share Concerns — “A growing number of restaurant and hospitality business owners across Northern Virginia say a combination of rising costs, worker shortages and economic uncertainty is threatening their ability to stay afloat.” They voiced their concerns to Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine during a roundtable on Tuesday (Aug. 5) at Glory Days Grill in Burke. [FOX5]

Dems Suggest Redistricting Change Needed — “Virginia Democrats in leadership are open to the idea of redoing the Commonwealth’s redistricting process. The idea comes after pushes from President Donald Trump and Democratic legislative groups across the country for pre-midterm redraws to benefit their respective parties in 2026.” [WVTF]

How N. Va. Hospitals Are Using AI — “In U.S. hospital systems, AI is particularly revolutionary, with some enlisting the technology to help lighten administrative burdens and improve diagnostic accuracy. Here’s what some Northern Virginia health care professionals have to say about the ways they’re using AI now — and where they might use it in the future.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Arts Organizations Secure Grant Funding — ArtsFairfax has awarded 56 operating support grants totaling nearly $600,000 to dozens of arts organizations based in Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church for fiscal year 2026. “Despite funding uncertainty at the federal level, the County sustained its allocation of approximately $1.5M for the arts … allowing ArtsFairfax to continue support of the local arts sector as planned.” [ArtsFairfax]

Lobster Truck Coming to Chantilly — Virginia’s Cousins Maine Lobster truck will bring its lobster rolls and other seafood specialties to the Preserve at Westfields community (4950 Westcroft Blvd) in Chantilly today (Thursday). The truck will operate from 4-8 p.m. Future local stops will include the Lowe’s home improvement store at Beacon Center in Groveton from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. next Tuesday (Aug. 12). [Cousins Maine Lobster/Facebook]

It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies, reaching a high of around 82 degrees, accompanied by an east wind blowing at approximately 10 mph. The wind may pick up, gusting as high as 22 mph. As the night sets in, it will be mostly clear with temperatures dropping to about 65 degrees. The east wind will slow down to around 5 to 8 mph. [NWS]

Police Seek Fatal Crash Witnesses — “Virginia State Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed or taken video of Saturday night’s fatal crash on I-66 in Fairfax County to contact the person investigating the incident, according to authorities.” [Patch]

Immigrants Rights Groups Launch Hotline — “The new PODER Virginia campaign is looking for immigrants, their families and allies to call in with stories in order to paint a more complete picture of deportation activity to possibly identify patterns.” Taking calls from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., the hotline at 844-ALERT-VA was announced by Centreville Immigration Forum, the Legal Aid Justice Center and other groups that advocate for immigrants. [NBC4]

Dulles Flight Had Engine Failure — “A United Airlines flight bound for Germany declared ‘mayday, mayday, mayday’ with an engine failure last month, forcing the jet to hastily retreat to the Washington, D.C., area, tower recordings and the carrier said Monday … Flight 108, a Boeing 787 with 219 passengers and 11 crew members, was headed to Munich when it had to turn back for Dulles International Airport.” [NBC News]

Reston Man Deported to Belgium — A 33-year-old Belgian man living in Reston was deported on July 31 after authorities learned he was a fugitive convicted of sexually exploiting a child in his native country, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said. The man allegedly fled to the U.S. in April 2013 to avoid serving prison time and didn’t disclose his criminal history. An immigration judge ordered his removal on June 26, ICE said. [WJLA]

Metro Radio Issues Found — “The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission released its study of Metro’s radio communication system on Monday and revealed that some key deficiencies remain, despite a plan to improve the system after response delays during a deadly 2015 incident.” [WTOP]

Local Restauranteur Wins Award — “The DMV’s premier Laotian chef Seng Luangrath, the owner of several restaurants, including Padaek in Seven Corners, was named Restaurateur of the Year by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington. The award was presented on Aug. 3 at the 43rd annual RAMMYS Gala at the Walter Washington Convention Center.” [Annandale Today]

McLean Startup Offers Autism Care — “Positive Development Inc. has raised $51.5 million in new funding to expand autism care to more kids and families as demand for its services mounts.” Making headway on getting its services covered by insurance companies, including Anthem in Virginia and CareFirst in the D.C. region, the startup hopes to “double its footprint in the next handful of years.” [Washington Business Journal]

Merrifield Furniture Business Promises Discounts — “Merrifield-based GoodbyHello, founded by longtime friends Michelle Baldwin and Mollie Skopil, works with manufacturers to sell their overstock, canceled orders, and returns in like-new condition. It also sells lightly used items right from its customers. With these methods, it’s able to offer furniture and other home goods for lower prices.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Wednesday — There is a 20% chance of showers after 3pm, with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 82°F accompanied by an east wind at 3-7 mph. Wednesday night, expect cloudy skies to turn partly cloudy, with a low of around 67°F and an east wind near 6 mph. [NWS]