An Annandale man was killed over Labor Day weekend after being struck by an SUV driver while walking on I-395 in Lincolnia, the Virginia State Police says.
Troopers responded to the southbound lanes of I-395 near the 2-mile-marker at Edsall Road on Sept. 6 at 5:59 a.m. for the crash.
A McLean man will be sentenced in Fairfax County Circuit Court this week after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the 2025 shooting death of a man in Herndon.
Kianmehr Shirinipaziziba, now 20 years old, was initially charged with second-degree murder in the death of 39-year-old Jason Hann.
Fairfax families now have a vibrant new destination for creative exploration — a dedicated children’s art studio has officially opened its doors, bringing with it one of the largest selections of children’s art programs in the area.
The journey behind this new studio is a simple but meaningful one: a belief that every child in the Fairfax community deserves access to quality art education. That conviction became the driving force behind building a space where young people can discover, create, and grow — not just as artists, but as individuals.
“We wanted to provide the opportunity of art education to the Fairfax community,” the studio shared.
What makes this studio particularly remarkable is its breadth. Children have access to more than 40 varieties of art, offering a rare opportunity to explore disciplines far beyond the typical drawing and painting classes. Whether a child is drawn to sculpture, printmaking, mixed media, or illustration, there’s a path here waiting to be discovered.
The philosophy is intentional: instead of narrowing a child’s focus too soon, the programs are designed to let curiosity lead the way. Children are encouraged to try, experiment, and explore until something clicks — because finding a true passion is just as important as developing a skill.
The studio has been thoughtfully designed to meet families where they are, with age-appropriate programs that build skills progressively and purposefully. Here’s a closer look at what’s available:
Art is a skill developed over time, and it all starts here. In Tiny Hands classes, children begin to express themselves through art in guided, small group activities that encourage community, collaboration, and relationships. This two-year program introduces young learners to drawing, painting, clay, printmaking, collage, design, and more — laying the foundation for a lifelong creative journey.
This two-year program introduces children to beginning art skills, tools, and basic vocabulary. Students are encouraged to explore different mediums and express their growing interests, working with clay, printmaking, charcoal drawing, painting, design, montage, watercolors, sculpture, stained glass, and more. Along the way, they’ll learn about color theory — including primary, secondary, cool, and warm colors — while gaining self-confidence and earning recognition for their creations.
Building on the foundation of Intro to Art, Beginning Art is designed for children ready to deepen their skills and grow more comfortable with art tools. Students expand their art vocabulary, apply their knowledge of color theory, and explore design principles through hands-on creating. This two-year program offers opportunities to work with charcoal, mono printing, clay, ink, color design, collage, self-portrait, watercolors, balsa wood carving, sculpture, and much more.
Art 1 is the foundation of the studio’s four-year curriculum — a class designed to maximize and maintain each child’s art interest as they develop a higher level of skills and knowledge. Students also begin building their personal portfolio. Projects include ebony pencil from photomontage, charcoal still life, India ink design, and scratchboard art, with a strong focus on line, value, and texture. Later in the program, students dive into an in-depth study of color theory and apply it to a series of color design projects. Art 1 also includes hand building with clay.
Former state and federal prosecutor Brittany Dunn-Pirio announced today that she will challenge Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano for the Democratic nomination in the June 2027 primary election.
Dunn-Pirio, a resident of the Vienna area, says she’s a “lifelong Democrat” who wants to reform the office. According to her website, her platform “centers on standing up for seniors and survivors, expanding access to treatment, protecting the right to a fair trial, and above all, restoring competence Fairfax can trust.”
The Virginia State Police is investigating an apparent shooting that took place on I-66 last night (Tuesday) near the Nutley Street interchange outside Vienna.
First responders with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were sent at around 8:15 p.m. to a reported shooting in the highway’s eastbound lanes near the Nutley Street ramp, according to scanner traffic.
Event location
Harris Pavilion
9201 Center Street
Manassas, Virginia 20110
Manassas Latino Festival is the oldest Hispanic/Latino, family-centric festival in the area! Held during National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), join in the celebrations with live music, dance performances, diverse foods, and fun for the whole family! Come enjoy this premier annual tradition filled with cultural heritage and contributions of the Latin American community.
Tysons still has a steep hill to climb to reach its goal of 100,000 residents by 2050, but it continues to make progress in its evolution from a commuter hub to a home.
Since the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted a comprehensive plan in 2010 setting that target, Tysons has come close to doubling its population from approximately 17,000 residents to 32,000 residents, the Tysons Community Alliance (TCA) reported earlier this month.
Fairfax County officials plan to launch a 90-day pilot program in January to test automated technology that will target drivers of excessively loud vehicles.
Fairfax County Police Department officials outlined plans for the program yesterday (Tuesday) to members of the Board of Supervisors, which responded generally favorably.
Investigators are offering a monetary reward to anyone who can help them track down the person responsible for a recent shooting in Groveton’s Lafayette Apartments neighborhood.
Officers were dispatched to the 3500 block of Robert E. Lee Place at 10:25 a.m. on Sept. 12 for the reported shooting, which left an adult man with multiple gunshot wounds.
Neighboring County Halts By-Right Data Centers — “The Prince William Board of County Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a landmark zoning text amendment effectively ending by-right data center development countywide. The 8-0 vote greenlit the amendment’s approval under the 90-day grace period initially proposed by Brentsville District Supervisor Tom Gordy.” [Inside NoVA]
Light Issues Disrupt Flights at DCA — “A major runway was again open at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after several flights were delayed or canceled Tuesday night when a lighting equipment failure forced the Federal Aviation Administration to issue a ground stop, according to DCA officials.” [Washington Sun]
Lawmakers Question Sales Tax Increase — “A new state law allowing localities to raise revenue for school construction has opened opportunities but also raised questions, with some local leaders and lawmakers asking if it could create funding shortfalls for localities that approve the measure.” House Education Committee Vice Chair Del. Shelly Simonds questioned if a 20-year sunset provision might not allow enough time for securing bond financing. [Virginia Mercury]
Food Banks Report Growing Lines — “According to a new study from the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, food insecurity is at record highs across the Commonwealth. And as public benefits dry up under President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, food lines are returning to food banks.” [WVTF]
Study of AI in Higher Ed Coming — The General Assembly directed its research agency, JLARC, earlier this year to study the use of AI in higher education and developing a model policy. “George Mason University has also been thinking a lot about AI, and has developed guidelines for faculty, students and researchers similar to UVA’s.” [VPM News]
Regional Economic Development Alliance Forms — Yesterday (Tuesday), “four leading organizations announced the formation of the Potomac Regional Alliance, a new framework to strengthen the long-term competitiveness, resilience, and growth of Greater Washington and respond to the unprecedented disruption resulting from cuts to federal jobs and spending.” [COG]
Design Approved for Route 7 Sidewalk — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 15 endorsed VDOT’s design for a sidewalk along the north side of Leesburg Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads between Magnolia Avenue and Halal Hunan Village in Glen Forest Shopping Center. The project will improve pedestrian safety along a roadway that has been called one of the most hazardous in the county.” [Annandale Today]
Metro Rolls Out 50th Anniversary Fare Cards — “Metro continues to celebrate our 50th year of service with the release of five commemorative Smart Trip card designs that honor the five decades of Metro … Starting Thursday, Sept. 24, a new card design will be released every two weeks. About 20,000 of each card design will be available at select stations.” [WMATA]
New Yemeni Coffeehouse in Falls Church — “A locally owned Yemeni cafe has opened its doors in Falls Church, serving spiced coffee, pastries and brunch fare from avocado toast to za’atar labneh. Rashfa Cafe soft opened last week at 310 S. Washington Street and is planning a grand opening next month,” according to owner and founder Abdulrahman Al Harethi. [ARLnow]
New Legal Notice — Restaurant seeks ABC beer/wine on/off-premises license; objections within 30 days. [Public Notices]
It’s Wednesday — Expect cloudy skies and a high near 65°F throughout the day, with a 60% chance of rain. Wednesday night will be mostly cloudy with a low around 53°F and northeast winds at 10 mph, gusting up to 22 mph. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
Good Tuesday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Sep 22, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Wednesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Expect rain, especially before 7 a.m., with cloudy skies and a high near 63°F. Northeast winds will blow around 11 mph, gusting up to 25 mph, with a 60% chance of precipitation and possible new rain amounts between one-tenth and a quarter of an inch. By Wednesday night, the weather will be mostly cloudy with a low around 52°F, with northeast winds around 10 mph and gusts reaching 21 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
