Countywide

Morning Notes for April 21, 2026

A shopping cart corral in the parking lot of Fair City Mall in Fairfax City (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Bomb Threat Cleared on Dulles-Bound Plane — “A United Airlines flight coming from Denver landed safely at Dulles International Airport Monday morning after a reported bomb threat, according to officials. Before departing from Denver International Airport, ‘United flight 2408 deplaned safely via airstairs due to a security concern,’ according to a Dulles statement.” [NBC4]

Lawsuits Filed Over Potomac Sewage Spill — “The Justice Department and the Maryland Department of the Environment have filed separate lawsuits against D.C. Water over the pollution of the Potomac River due to a massive sewage spill from a ruptured pipe back in January.” [WTOP]

Sen. Warner’s Daughter Has Died — “Sen. Mark Warner (D) and his wife, Lisa Collis, shared today (Monday) that their daughter Madison Warner has died. The 36-year-old died after decades of battling juvenile diabetes and other health issues, according to their statement.” [ALXnow]

Immigration Advocates Mixed on Spanberger — “In the wake of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, Democrats in Virginia’s legislature passed a handful of bills to help combat what they see as injustices by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Governor Abigail Spanberger signed some of those bills … but immigration advocates hope legislators will reject some she amended.” [WVTF]

Historic Civil War Center Set to Reopen — The interpretive center at Historic Blenheim in Fairfax City will reopen to visitors tomorrow (Wednesday) after closing over the winter for maintenance. The facility will be open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a free guided tour of the Historic Blenheim house on Saturdays at 1 p.m. [City of Fairfax]

Steakhouse Chain Files for Bankruptcy — “801 Restaurant Group, the parent company of the 801 Chophouse chain, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 10, a move the company says is intended to restructure debt and keep its restaurants operating rather than shutter them outright.” The first 801 Chophouse on the East Coast opened in Tysons in 2024. [Des Moines Register]

Watch Out for Tick Bites — “As spring arrives and the weather warms up, tick activity increases around Virginia. Increased tick activity means that Virginians need to be aware of the risks that ticks can pose to people … There are several illnesses that ticks can spread in Virginia, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Alpha-gal Syndrome.” [Virginia Department of Health]

Lake Anne Award Winners Announced — “Lake Anne Plaza in Reston presented its first Good Neighbor Awards on Saturday, recognizing a child and an adult for contributions to the community.” Five-year-old Elianna Malesic won in the kids’ category for helping clean up litter, while local artist Pat McIntyre was the adult honoree for hosting a free weekly crafts table every Saturday. [Patch]

It’s Tuesday — Expect widespread frost before 10 am, followed by sunny weather with a high near 62°F. Winds will be calm, shifting to the south at about 6 mph in the afternoon. At night, there is a 30% chance of showers after 2 am, with partly cloudy skies and a low around 50°F. [NWS]

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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.