National Airport Runways Closed for Snow — Reagan National Airport closed all of its runways last night (Monday) “to allow crews to focus on snow removal and prevent refreezing amid plunging temperatures.” The snowstorm also prompted flight cancellations at Dulles International Airport, which advised travelers to check their flight’s status before arriving. [FOX5]
No Fairfax County Trash Collection Today — Fairfax County government offices will open at 10 a.m. today (Tuesday) after shuttering yesterday for the snowstorm. However, the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services will again forgo trash and recycling collection, and vacuum leaf services have been delayed by a week. [Fairfax County/Twitter]
ICYMI: Driver Uses Storm Drain to Elude Police — Virginia State Police spent hours scouring a storm drain in the Rose Hill area for a driver who allegedly fled two crashes on I-495 yesterday (Monday) afternoon. After stationing troopers at drain covers to watch possible exits, police eventually learned that the driver had been spotted coming out of a manhole a quarter-mile away from where he entered the drainage system. [FFXnow]
National Zoo Pandas Enjoy Snow — “The Smithsonian National Zoo’s new pandas didn’t have to wait long for their first D.C. snowfall, and they made the most out of it Monday. The zoo posted video on Facebook of giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao — who both arrived to the zoo from China in October — playing in their snow-coated outdoor habitat.” [WTOP]
Fairfax County’s IT Leader to Retire — Gregory Scott, Fairfax County’s chief technical officer and director of its Department of Information Technology, plans to retire after nearly six years in the role “once his successor is on board.” The county is now looking for applicants to fill the position, which requires overseeing a department with over 300 employees. [Government Technology]
Talk Reflects on History of Motels on Route 1 — “Between the late 1920s and mid-1960s, the Richmond Highway Corridor was blanketed with motels. Following U.S. Route 1’s paving in 1927, motels popped up ‘almost overnight,’ according to Chris Barbuschak, an archivist with Fairfax County Public Library’s Virginia Room.” [On the MoVe]
How Much Casino Opponents Have Spent So Far — “Opponents of the proposed Tysons casino have spent more than $755,000 in donations and on lobbying efforts to influence lawmakers in Virginia since the beginning of 2023.” Potential casino developer Comstock Companies and other proponents have spent a reported $1.2 million “on their lobbying efforts in Richmond during the same time period.” [Patch]
N. Va. Eateries to Try in 2025 — “Ring in the new year with a fresh batch of new restaurants that have opened recently in Northern Virginia. The eateries run the gamut, from Thai food to southern comfort. With every day comes a new opportunity for finding your new favorite restaurant.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 32 degrees accompanied by a northwest wind of 15 to 17 mph with gusts reaching 36 mph. Tonight, the skies will be partly cloudy, and the temperature will drop to around 18 degrees. The northwest wind will blow at 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. [NWS]
