With 2025 on the horizon, FFXnow is taking a final look back at the past year in Fairfax County news.
In the past, we’ve closed out the year by reviewing the 10 most-read stories, but with “best restaurant” rankings taking up nearly half of the top 10 spots (in case you’ve ever wondered why we cover every shoutout to a local establishment by the Washington Post, Washingtonian or another outlet), we’re going to instead highlight the most memorable stories of this year.
While the national news was driven primarily by the high-stakes presidential election, 2024 was an eventful year on a local level as well. These were a few of the most noteworthy stories covered by FFXnow — and what they might mean for 2025.
Casino proposed in Tysons
Few issues stirred as much debate and anxiety as the prospect of Fairfax County becoming eligible for a casino, possibly in Tysons. While proponents have championed the entertainment complex envisioned by developer Comstock as an economic boost, skeptics questioned those purported benefits and raised concerns about impacts on residents’ quality of life, crime and even national security.
In February, the Virginia General Assembly opted not to take action on legislation introduced by state Sen. Dave Marsden, setting up another battle in Richmond in 2025.
Hayfield football program draws scrutiny
Questions about recruiting practices used by Hayfield Secondary School’s football program began percolating in the spring and summer before escalating when the Virginia High School League issued a two-year postseason ban — despite an earlier investigation by Fairfax County Public Schools that reportedly cleared team officials of any wrongdoing.
Though a judge put the ban on hold, allowing the Hawks to bulldoze Edison in their first game of the playoffs, a coach revolt and the discovery of questionable text messages ultimately led FCPS to take Hayfield out of contention. The controversy led to a public apology from Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid, and the school board authorized reviews of all student-athlete policies and programs, though whether those investigations provide the clarity community members are seeking remains to be seen.
Comstock withdraws from downtown Herndon redevelopment
Comstock’s plan to transform nearly 5 acres of downtown Herndon into a mixed-use hub anchored by a performing arts center is no more. After previously expressing hope for an April 2025 groundbreaking, the developer announced in early December that it had decided not to move forward with the project, which had been in the works since 2017 and officially stalled since 2022.
Town of Herndon leaders have remained confident in the downtown’s redevelopment potential, but the failed deal with Comstock had at least one casualty: A Thousand Stories, a small independent bookstore housed inside Arts Herndon, stuck to its plan to permanently close on Dec. 21.
County board approves data center regulations
Concerns about the sustainability and neighborhood impacts of Northern Virginia’s growing data center industry have only intensified since the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed staff in 2023 to craft new regulations for the facilities.
Those regulations, including limits on where data centers can be built in relation to Metro stations and residential neighborhoods, were approved on Sept. 10. With Fairfax County leading the state in data centers near residences and the industry expected to continue expanding nationwide, county leaders are now turning to state legislators for more authority to address energy and environmental impacts.
Fairfax County considers imposing meals tax
With voter approval via a referendum no longer required, Fairfax County is once again considering joining most other Northern Virginia localities in imposing a meals tax. After a challenging budget year that included a 3-cent real estate tax rate hike, the tax on prepared food and drinks is one of several options for generating revenue that county leaders have put on the table.
Already facing opposition from the restaurant industry, the potential tax of up to 6% could be adopted as the county finds a way to address an estimated $292.7 million budget deficit in 2025, but it wouldn’t be implemented until at least early 2026.
Reston homeless encampment cleared
Fairfax County’s largest homeless encampment, known informally as The Hill, folded in September after weeks of work by county staff, nonprofits and outreach workers to get residents to relocate to a temporary shelter inside the North County Human Services Center. Now fenced off, the wooded area is slated to be handed over to Inova to allow the long-planned Reston Town Center North development, which will include a new Embry Rucker Community Shelter.
In anticipation of the new, permanent shelter, which will be exclusively for adults experiencing homelessness, the county plans to convert a vacant Extended Stay America hotel in the Fair Oaks area into an emergency family shelter.
Cybertruck “races” Lamborghini on Route 7
Coverage of a viral stunt race between a Cybertruck and a Lamborghini on Leesburg Pike near the Spring Hill Metro station in Tysons was FFXnow’s most-read story of 2024, racking up 45,101 views.
While Tesla owner and election influencer Elon Musk shared the video on the social media platform he also owns, the Fairfax County Police Department was less-than-amused, arresting the two alleged drivers and charging them with racing and stopping on a highway. Tougher penalties for stunt driving and street takeovers are among the county’s priorities for the General Assembly’s 2025 session.
