Countywide

Morning Notes for February 26, 2025

Construction cranes in Oakton’s MetroWest neighborhood (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

GMU Law School Removes Diversity-Related Webpages — “George Mason University’s law school has removed webpages related to diversity, equity and inclusion, sparking student criticism and casting doubt on the future of related programs.” Some Scalia Law students recently wrote a letter to the administration questioning the changes and calling for the school to reaffirm its commitment to diversity. [ARLnow]

Compromise Keeps Traffic Camera Reforms Alive — “Virginia lawmakers delivered a last-minute compromise on a contentious safety bill — ushering in high-tech school zone cameras and speed camera guardrails — just as the General Assembly wrapped up its session. However, the measure’s future now rests with Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s pending approval.” [Virginia Mercury]

FCPS Reports Improvements in Teacher Retention — “After taking several steps to address these concerns, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is seeing major results — for the first time in four years, they are seeing more than 90% of teachers staying on … The district also now has between 4,500 and 5,000 substitute teachers.” [WJLA]

GMU Basketball Team Vying for March Madness Spot — “VCU and George Mason could both squeeze into the NCAA tourney if they stumble in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. The Rams beat the Patriots last week for their sixth straight win, one that ended George Mason’s 11-game winning streak.” [Associated Press]

BBQ Restaurant Opening at Mosaic District — “Big announcement! 🚨 Hi/FI’s new location in the Mosaic District is officially opening this Saturday, March 1st, at 11:00 AM! 🎉 Come celebrate with us at 8298 Glass Alley, Fairfax, VA 22031.” An initial soft opening is planned today (Wednesday). [HiFi Tex-Mex BBQ/Instagram]

Fort Belvoir Reopens Long-Closed Gate — “U.S. Army Garrison Fort Belvoir recently announced some additional gate changes, effective Feb. 24. Perhaps the biggest change is the reopening of the installation’s Walker Gate along Mount Vernon Memorial Highway on weekday mornings. The gate … had been closed since late November 2022 due to staffing shortages.” [On the MoVe]

Reston Association Recreation Passes Available — “Reston Association is excited to announce that recreation passes for the 2025 season are now available. Recreation passes provide access to RA pools, tennis and pickleball courts, and once again are available to all RA members at no additional charge as part of RA’s annual assessment.” [Reston Association]

It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny weather and a high near 63 degrees, accompanied by a 6 to 8 mph west wind that will shift to the south in the afternoon. At night, skies will see increasing clouds, and the temperature will drop to around 49 degrees. The south wind will maintain a speed of 6 to 8 mph. [NWS]

About the Author

  • FFXnow is the definitive local news source for Fairfax County, featuring countywide coverage and hyperlocal reporting on the Reston and Tysons areas. This article was written by an editor or other member of FFXnow's full-time staff.