This week’s brutal heat (highs near 96°, heat index up to 104°) sent everyone scrambling for the water. Unfortunately, a few creative individuals — and some stubborn construction gremlins — turned our local pools into a comedy of errors.
This is why we can’t have nice things. And why the hardworking pool staff across the region deserve combat pay.
Areas of smoke from distant Canadian wildfires will linger over Northern Virginia today, creating hazy skies and continued hot conditions.
According to the National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington D.C. office, today will be mostly sunny with a high near 96. Heat index values could reach as high as 104 in spots. Winds will be light and variable. Areas of smoke are expected before noon.
Join me during this National Craft Open Studios weekend, a celebration of Amrican craft organized by the American Craft Council (ACC). Come visit my studio July 18-19th, 11am-5pm at 10449 Metropolitan Ave, Kensington, MD. Please drop in, see how my work is created, tour my studio and try your hand at hammering some metal.
This daily police blotter summarizes the most notable reports from area agencies.
On July 14 at 6:11 p.m., officers responded to the 11000 block of Folksie Ct in Manassas (20109) for a reported shooting. The victim, an 18-year-old man, and an acquaintance had arranged to meet another person for a sale. A verbal altercation occurred after money was exchanged, and the accused produced a firearm and shot the victim in the upper body. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital.
Stafford County Public Schools has appointed Jennifer Meyers as the new principal of Hartwood Elementary School.Meyers brings more than 20 years of experience in education, including 10 years within the division.
She most recently served as assistant principal at Widewater Elementary School. Prior to that role, she worked as a math specialist at Winding Creek Elementary, an administrator designee, and a member of the Superintendent Advisory Committee. She began her career as a classroom and special education teacher across multiple school districts.
“Prince William County is launching an Agribusiness & Agritourism Study in partnership with Agritecture LLC to develop a comprehensive strategy that will grow our rural economy, enhance agritourism experiences, and ensure that agribusiness continues to thrive,” Prince William County reported.
Managed by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism over a 28-week period, the study includes market research, competitive benchmarking, industry analysis of agriculture and agritourism sectors, and recommendations for an Arts and Agritourism Overlay District, with community conversations scheduled July 27-29 across the county to gather stakeholder feedback on preliminary findings.
Bloomberg News via The Virginian-Pilot reported that low U.S. birth rates and restricted immigration risk a housing glut starting in the 2030s as deaths outnumber births and household formation slows, with builders already facing excess inventory in Sun Belt states. Locally, the Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors® (FAAR) reported an active but more balanced market where inventory has improved, buyers are value-conscious, and pricing/presentation matter more as multiple offers fade.
In Northern Virginia, this national demographic shift could further ease pressure on the Fredericksburg area’s constrained supply of updated homes, though affordability challenges persist for lower- and middle-income buyers amid steady local transactions.
Residents across Northern Virginia are bracing for another day of dangerous heat on Wednesday, with the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Baltimore/Washington, D.C. forecasting highs near 102°F and heat index values as high as 107°F. Heat Advisories remain in effect for most of the region outside the mountains and southern Shenandoah Valley.
Sunny skies and light west winds around 6 mph will dominate the day, but the combination of high temperatures and humidity will make it feel significantly hotter. Overnight lows will dip to around 77°F under mostly clear skies, offering little relief from the oppressive conditions.
