Less than two years after breaking ground, an ambitious affordable housing development on the Fairfax County Government Center campus is starting to welcome residents.
To mark the occasion, members of the Board of Supervisors and others involved in the development gathered on Monday (Oct. 26) to celebrate the grand opening of the nearly 300 newly constructed homes at 12020 and 12040 Government Center Parkway, now called Fairfax Crest.
Though he hasn’t won elected office before, Stevan Porter is likely a familiar face to many Herndon voters.
In addition to serving as vice chair of the town’s Board of Zoning Appeals, Porter has three campaigns for Herndon Town Council under his belt. After falling just 34 votes shy of winning election in 2024, he’s hopeful that his fourth bid for a seat could put him over the top.
Fall-A-Palooza Brings Free Seasonal Fun to Reston Station
Fall into the fun at Reston Station’s Fall-A-Palooza on Sunday, October 25, from 4–7 p.m. Celebrate the season with an afternoon of live music, family-friendly activities, delicious food, and harvest-inspired drinks at 1900 Reston Metro Plaza in Reston.
A live DJ kicks off the festivities from 4–5 p.m., followed by the cover band headliner Gonzo’s Nose from 5–7 p.m., bringing an energetic soundtrack to your fall afternoon.
Between songs, explore a petting zoo, let the kids bounce into the fun at the bounce house, or add a little sparkle with glitter tattoos. Outdoor games and a photo booth offer plenty of ways to play and capture the day, while Sip-n-Stroll lets guests enjoy a festive drink as they explore.
Come hungry for giant Bavarian pretzels, pies, apple cider donuts, cotton candy, gelato, and more. Toast the season with seasonal cocktails and spiked apple cider, or cozy up with hot apple cider and hot chocolate.
Gather your friends and family and make an afternoon of fall’s favorite flavors, lively entertainment, and seasonal fun at Reston Station.
Treats will start coming early this Halloween for South Block fans in the Idylwood area.
The rapidly expanding juice and smoothie chain will unveil its newest location at 7511 Leesburg Pike in Idylwood Plaza this Saturday, Oct. 31 with a grand opening block party at 11 a.m.
Join artist Nora Naranjo Morse (Kha’p’o Owenge ([Santa Clara Pueblo]), creator of Always Becoming, and the community that cares for the museum’s ephemeral outdoor sculpture family, to learn about the project’s evolution over the past two decades, and what the future holds.
Learn about the art of clay, traditions of sustainability in Pueblo building techniques, and more. Visitors can enjoy family-friendly art activities, dance performances by the Zuni Olla Maidens, watch a short film, and multiple opportunities to hear from the artist, her family, and museum experts that have contributed to the care and revitalization of the sculptures.
Four men are facing charges in connection to a series of burglaries targeting victims of house fires in Fairfax County over the past year, including two incidents at the same residence, the Fairfax County Police Department said today (Oct. 28).
The FCPD says its Criminal Investigations Division (CID) detectives worked with the FBI and law enforcement partners in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Loudoun County to pinpoint suspects in five burglaries at four different residences across the county.
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On Halloween, Fair Oaks Mall is offering a treat for families: a grand opening celebration for its brand-new play space for young children, followed by the shopping center’s annual “Mall-O-Ween” festivities.
The grand opening celebration, which will include a costume contest, prizes, and a DJ playing family-friendly tunes, will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 31) at the nature-themed play space, near JCPenney. Shortly after the celebration, “Mall-O-Ween” will kick off, bringing a full evening of trick-or-treating from 5 to 8 p.m. at participating stores.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed staff yesterday (Tuesday) to stay in close touch with the Spanberger administration as the state government refines rules for dealing with data center development.
The county government needs to be “fully engaged” and ensure its “needs, challenges and experiences are represented” in a statewide discussion, Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith said when introducing the directive to staff.
A Maryland man has been appointed his third defense attorney in what prosecutors say is a ploy to delay his trial on murder charges.
Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Stephen Shannon on Monday (Oct. 26) appointed Thomas F. Koerner Jr. to represent 32-year-old Tylen Jennings.
Study Authorized on Schools Funding Formula — “A state legislative subcommittee on Monday approved a plan to hire an expert to study a new school funding formula for Virginia, with up to 24 months to complete the work … A December 2023 study showed that Virginia local governments spend far more on K-12 education than the state, underscoring the need for a clearer approach.” [Virginia Mercury]
Scott’s Run Hiker Rescued — “On October 25, at 10:10 a.m., #FairfaxsBravest responded to a report of a person who fell and possibly broke their leg on the Potomac Trail in Scott’s Run Nature Preserve near McLean. Units arrived to find the patient in a steep, wooded ravine that could not be reached by vehicle.” After ruling out a water rescue, responders developed a rope system that enabled them to get the woman into a Stokes basket, which was then hoisted up by a helicopter. [FCFRD/Facebook]
Trump Arch Would Cast Shadow on Cemetery — “Over the course of a year, the shadow of the triumphal arch would touch burial sites in Arlington National Cemetery on 284 days, The Post found. It would briefly cover Kennedy’s eternal flame on 18 days, and it would shade the former president’s memorial on 50. It would darken the Military Women’s Memorial on 109 days.” [Washington Post]
New Health Director Appointed — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has appointed Dr. Parham Jaberi as director of the Health Department, effective Nov. 14. Jaberi, who currently serves as the department’s deputy director for medical services, succeeds Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, who is retiring after 23 years as director.” [Fairfax County Government]
GMU Renaming Nursing School — George Mason University will officially rename its School of Nursing in Fairfax after Arlene Evans and Barry Dewberry on Nov. 15 in honor of the pair’s recent $15 million donation to the school, the largest gift in the College of Public Health’s history. The funds will go toward new educational and training opportunities for students as well as support for staff. [GMU]
Sign for Displaced Community Unveiled — “A few decades ago, there was a thriving close-knit Black community called The Pines in what is now Pine Ridge Park on Woodburn Road in Annandale … On Oct. 25, former residents of The Pines and descendants of the families who lived there gathered for a ceremony to unveil an interpretative sign recognizing a community that now only exists in people’s hearts and memories.” [Annandale Today]
Waymo Mapping Arlington Roads — “Waymo is now mapping Arlington’s residential streets, the robotaxi company confirmed. ARLnow spotted one of the self-driving car company’s mapping vehicles in a residential part of Arlington this past Friday (Oct. 23), and a reader separately reported seeing another on a local street.” [ARLnow]
Drug Take Back Day Results — “This past Saturday, our district stations partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other Fairfax County agencies for the 31st Annual National Drug Take Back Day. Together, we collected 1,071 pounds of expired or unused medications from community members across Fairfax County.” [FCPD]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly cloudy with a high near 68. Calm winds will become easterly around 5 mph in the afternoon. Clouds will gradually clear at night, with a low around 52 and a light southeast wind. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
Good Tuesday evening, Fairfax County. Here’s a look back at today’s most-read stories and a look ahead to tomorrow.
Everything else we published today, Oct 27, 2026.
Settle Down Easy Brewing – Mixed Beverage License
After 8 years in operation, Settle Down Easy Brewing would like to expand their offerings to… [Announcement]
Always Becoming: Next Chapter
Join artist Nora Naranjo Morse (Kha’p’o Owenge ([Santa Clara Pueblo]), creator of Always Becoming… [Announcement]
Artful Evenings: Water’s Edge with Artist Sky Hopinka
Reserve your spot for an after-hour event with multi-disciplinary artist Sky Hopinka, Thursday… [Announcement]
Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Fairfax County, from our event calendar.
Building Your New Mom Village Mixer
Oct 29: First-time pregnant moms, new moms and perinatal providers – let’s connect! Note: this location is near MOSAIC DISTRICT. [Event]
Alloy! Celebration & Cocktail Party
Oct 29: Tephra ICA Celebration and Cocktail Party [Event]
Diwali: A Celebration of Inner Light – Hosted by the Brahma Kumaris
Nov 1: Celebrate the spirit of Diwali with us at the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center for a joyful and uplifting afternoon for the whole family. [Event]
Dialogue for Democracy
Nov 3: Dialogue for Democracy invites high school students from across the DMV to George Mason University. [Event]
How Retirement Communities Work – A Free Workshop
Nov 4: Interested in learning about how Continuing Care Retirement Communities work, but don’t know where to start? Join us on 11/4 to learn more! [Event]
🎗️ Do It for Dan Fall Fundraiser
Nov 8: Join the Do It For Dan Foundation on Nov. 8 at Caboose Commons for live music, trivia, raffles & more, benefiting lung cancer research at Inova Schar Cancer Institute. [Event]
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Today: Fairfax County saw a high of 72° at 3:20 p.m. (7° above normal), a low of 45° at 3:20 a.m., no rain and a peak gust of 18 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 50. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 66. East wind around 5 mph.
Thanks for reading!
