Around Town

Ornery Beer Company is downsizing, sacrificing its Fairfax City restaurant to focus on ensuring the future of its other locations.

The brewpub announced today (Monday) that its location at 3950 University Drive, Suite 106, will permanently close on Sunday, July 26 after nearly eight years of operating in Old Town Fairfax.


News

A Bailey’s Crossroads man accused of killing his infant daughter earlier this year is set to face trial.

Misael Lopez Gomez, 28, was indicted by a grand jury this morning (Monday) on charges of aggravated murder and felony child abuse, the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office announced.


News

An Alexandria man is facing nearly 200 criminal charges in connection with a series of thefts from vehicles parked outside fitness centers across Northern Virginia.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, Kumneger Ayalsew, 29, has been linked to several larcenies that appeared to target gym visitors in Fairfax and Falls Church City since April.


News

Fairfax City voters will decide in November whether to approve a general retail sales tax increase of up to 1% that could generate up to $13.5 million to fund construction projects and long-term maintenance of the city’s schools.

The Fairfax City Council voted unanimously last Tuesday (July 14) to request that the Fairfax Circuit Court order a special election on Nov. 3 asking voters whether the city should levy the tax. Long sought by the city, the ability to implement the sales tax was authorized by the General Assembly’s new state budget late last month.


Event

The George Mason Friends will hold their semi-annual Fall Book Sale at George Mason Regional Library, 7001 Little River Turnpike, Annandale from Wednesday evening, September 23 through Sunday, September 27, 2026.

A Preview Sale will be held on Wednesday evening from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm for a $20 entry fee per adult. A no entry fee, General Sale, will begin on Thursday, September 23 and run through Sunday, September 27, with hours 10:00 am to 5:30 pm daily.


News

An Alexandria man has died from injuries he sustained while crossing Richmond Highway in the Hybla Valley area earlier this month, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

Julio Quintanilla, 61, was struck by a 2025 Toyota Corolla heading southbound in the 7900 block of Richmond Highway on July 3 around 8:06 p.m. He was taken to the hospital, and though his injuries were initially believed to be non-life-threatening, the Medical Examiner’s Office informed police on Saturday (July 18) that Quintanilla had died.


Countywide
Deer crossing a paved bike path as a man jogs in the background, with trees and power lines along the route.
A deer crosses the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in Vienna in front of a jogger (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Banfield Appeals Murder Conviction — “Brendan Banfield, the Northern Virginia man convicted of killing his wife and a stranger in an elaborate plot to be with the family’s au pair, filed notice he will appeal his murder conviction and life sentence. Banfield’s attorneys filed the notice Friday to the Court of Appeals of Virginia, court records show.” [NBC4]

Lorton Man Charged in Fatal Pedestrian Crash — “Nearly three months after a woman was killed crossing the street in Old Town North, a Lorton man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and failure to yield to a pedestrian causing death.” [ALXnow]

Fairfax Starts Phasing Out Pennies — “Fairfax County, Virginia, leaders [last] week approved a plan to round cash transaction totals up or down to the nearest nickel, a step that comes in response to the lack of new penny coins being produced … The change comes after the U.S. Mint stopped making new pennies last November.” [WTOP]

Kevin Bacon Visits GMU as Volunteer — Actor Kevin Bacon “stepped on to the campus of George Mason University Sunday to volunteer with his nonprofit, appropriately called ‘SixDegrees.Org’ … About 100 volunteers packed about 35,000 meal kits that will be distributed in Fairfax County.” [NBC4]

Driver Injured in I-495 Crash — “Virginia State Police (VSP) said a driver was seriously injured after a crash on Interstate 495 on Friday afternoon. According to a VSP spokesperson, the crash happened around 3 p.m. on I-495’s southbound lanes near Route 29 in Fairfax County” after a tractor-trailer appears to have “failed to slow down enough for upcoming traffic.” [DC News Now]

Child Care Center Approved for Lincolnia — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on July 14 approved a zoning special exception for a childcare center on Fairland Street, Lincolnia, next to the Braddock Road intersection, to serve up to 50 children. The applicant and property owner, Deyi Awadallah, initially requested that the center accommodate up to 99 children.” [Annandale Today]

Fairfax City Reviews Zoning Rules — “A proposal intended to bring Fairfax City’s zoning rules in line with its small area plans prompted a broader City Council debate Tuesday over building heights, residential density and the pace of development. The second draft would establish an Activity Center Zoning District for properties in Northfax, Fairfax Circle, Kamp Washington, Old Town Fairfax and Pickett and Main.” [Patch]

Praise for Puerto Rican Restaurant in McLean — “Three years on, Pikoteo is still serving smoked meats, creative appetizers, and chalkboard specials every day. Tucked into a quiet back street near downtown McLean, it’s no surprise the restaurant remains largely undiscovered — even by many locals. But that’s a shame. There aren’t many places left where a pair of diners can share three delightful courses for less than $100.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

New Legal Notice — Applicant seeks ABC brewery license; objections due in 30 days. [Public Notices]

It’s Monday — The weather will be mostly sunny today, with a high of around 85°F. Expect light winds that will shift to the south at about 6 mph in the morning. Overnight, there is a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 a.m., with increasing cloudiness and a low of around 70°F. Winds will be from the south at 5 to 8 mph. [NWS]


Around Town

Good Friday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Jul 17, 2026.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  • FCPS adopts two new school year calendars, increasing number of five-day weeks (18080 views)
  • Fairfax County and Fairfax City police encrypt dispatch radio communications (11243 views)
  • JUST IN: Unhealthy air expected in D.C. region Friday due to wildfire smoke (8391 views)
  • Police: Fair Oaks man charged with murder after wife was found fatally shot (7260 views)
  • Great Falls couple to reopen 17-year-old restaurant as a wine bistro (5445 views)
  • Justice Department will send election monitors to Fairfax for August primaries (4765 views)
  • Soccer coach accused of scamming families with promise of summer camp in Italy (4346 views)
  • Police: Man found in life-threatening condition after assault in Idylwood (4068 views)
  • NOW: Teen bicyclist hospitalized after crash in Herndon (3651 views)
  • Residents affected by boundary changes for Skyview High School air concerns before final vote (3204 views)
  • Proposed mixed-use development in McLean would include housing, new Keller Williams office (3075 views)
  • NOW: Outdoor activities, trash service canceled in Fairfax due to wildfire smoke (3613 views)
  • County board offers fee relief to Burke area residents impacted by microburst (2762 views)
  • 📅 Upcoming events

    Here is what’s going on Saturday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

    Here are the events planned for Sunday:

    🌧️ Saturday’s forecast

    Expect showers and thunderstorms throughout the day, with areas of smoke in the morning and mostly cloudy skies. The high will be around 93, with a heat index up to 102. Winds will come from the south at 6 to 11 mph, with gusts up to 22 mph. There’s a 70% chance of rain, with possible amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, higher in storms. Saturday night will also see likely showers and thunderstorms until 2am, then a slight chance of showers until 3am, with a low of around 73 and a southwest wind at 7 mph. Rainfall amounts could again range between a tenth and quarter of an inch, potentially more in storms, with a 60% chance of precipitation. See more from Weather.gov.

    🌅 Tonight’s sunset

    The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.

    We hope you have a great weekend! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋


    Countywide

    The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (July 14) honored the 37-year service of retiring Fairfax Water General Manager Jamie Bain Hedges.

    “We have a luxury in Fairfax County of having clean, accessible water,” Board Chair Jeff McKay said during a ceremony honoring Hedges.