Countywide

Virginia voters appear to have approved a constitutional amendment to allow a one-time, mid-decade redistricting effort in today’s tightly contested special election.

While opponents initially led based on early voting, ballots reported later in the evening by Fairfax County and other heavily Democratic jurisdictions in Northern Virginia tipped the scales in favor of supporters, according to preliminary results reported by the Virginia Department of Elections.


Around Town

Good Tuesday 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 — Apr 21, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

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

⛈️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms this morning, easing to a slight chance in the afternoon. The high will be near 74°F, with mostly cloudy skies and southwest winds shifting west at 9 mph, gusting up to 18 mph. Wednesday night will be mostly clear with a low of 55°F and a light west wind around 6 mph. 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.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.


Sponsored

Address: 10305 Mountington Ct
Neighborhood: Tamarack
Type: 4 BR, 2 (+1 half) BA single-family detached – 3615 sq. ft.
Listed: $1,325,000

Noteworthy: Cul De Sac, Direct Access to the W&OD, Hunter Mill Pool Membership Conveys

Built in 1972, this St Clair model in the Tamarack neighborhood welcomes you with a charming front entry and double door. The foyer has Brazilian cherry hardwoods, which flow throughout the main level. On the left, you’ll find a spacious living room with plantation shutters. The living room opens to the dining room with a big window overlooking your spacious and flat backyard. The eat-in kitchen has an abundance of cabinet space for storage, granite countertops, and newer stainless steel appliances. There’s a sliding glass door to your Trex deck, patio and yard. There is also a powder room, a family room with wood burning fireplace and brick surround, plantation shutters, and large custom wooden mantel, a laundry/mudroom, and two car garage.

The upper level features carpet throughout. The primary suite has an en-suite bathroom with a walk-in shower, double vanity and a spacious walk in closet with organizers in addition to a 2nd closet. Each of the other three bedrooms has custom California closets, ceilings fans and bright windows. They share a hall bath with tub.

The finished lower level is a giant rec space with recessed lighting, carpet, and a door to walk out to the yard. There are four full size windows for natural light along with a window in the door. New Roof.

The backyard features a playset that will convey. The flat backyard is perfect for whatever your needs may be. The home comes with a Hunter Mill Swim and Racquet Club membership.

Listed by:
Laura Schwartz – Laura Schwartz, Realtor
laura@guidingyourmove.com
(703) 283-6120


News

Registration is now open for the sixth annual Tour de Hunter Mill community bicycle ride set for Sunday, May 3. Participants can choose between riding two scenic routes — 11 or 19 miles — designed to accommodate both beginners and experienced cyclists.

This year’s event will highlight Vienna, according to Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who started the event in 2021.


News

A Fairfax High School student will serve more than four months in jail for reportedly groping multiple girls in the school’s halls.

Israel Christopher Flores Ortiz, an 18-year-old who’s currently a junior at Fairfax High, was sentenced today (Tuesday) to 180 days in jail for each of the nine fellow students he was found guilty of assaulting earlier this year.


Event

Kokedama Workshop: Planting a Living Vessel

Kokedama—“moss ball”—is a centuries-old Japanese garden art rooted in the bonsai tradition and the philosophy of wabi-sabi, which honors beauty in simplicity and imperfection. Plants are grown without pots, their roots wrapped in soil and moss to form a living, sculptural sphere.


News

On Christmas night 2025, Annandale High School sophomore Annie Vu was killed in a high-speed crash on I-495 while heading home from a holiday dinner — a tragedy that shook the Annandale community and left many students and parents searching for answers.

Some of those answers came through the reporting of Annandale High School senior Zoe Ligairi.


News

Three people were forced out of their homes last week by an apartment fire in the Herndon area that investigators say resulted from improperly discarded smoking materials.

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department was dispatched at 12:42 p.m. last Wednesday (April 15) for reports of an outdoor fire that was spreading to the Kendrick Court Senior Apartments building (13430 Coppermine Road) in McNair.


News

Civic leaders in Fairfax County’s oldest African American neighborhood are pressing local leaders to avoid a proposed budget cut that would eliminate a key staff position in their community.

The proposed reduction would “significantly affect the Gum Springs community’s future,” said Linda Brown of the New Gum Springs Civic Association.


Around Town

A vegan dessert shop known for its giant, fresh-baked cookies hopes to return to Reston this spring.

MidnighTreats is planning to open around late May to early June at Reston Town Center, owner Jemal Mahdi told FFXnow. It’s a relocation for the plant-based bakery, whose original storefront in Plaza America closed after about two years in business.


News

A federal judge has blocked a $6.2 billion merger of local television giants Nexstar Media Group and Tysons-based rival Tegna until an antitrust lawsuit is resolved.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley in Sacramento, California, made the ruling late Friday (April 17) afternoon, finding that eight attorneys general and DirecTV were likely to prevail in their legal bid to stop the merger. The attorneys general, all Democrats, and DirecTV contend the merger will lead to higher prices for consumers, stifle local journalism and that the deal runs afoul of federal laws designed to protect against monopolies.