Countywide

Morning Notes for October 23, 2026

A skeleton wearing a red coat and holding a United Kingdom flag stands outside Hawk & Griffin in Vienna ahead of Halloween (staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)

Bid to Stop Trump Arch Construction — “Plaintiffs in a lawsuit trying to stop the Trump administration from building a triumphal arch along the Potomac River asked a federal judge on Thursday to halt all construction plans, one day after the National Park Service signaled it would begin work Nov. 5.” [Associated Press]

Armed Robbery in Lorton — Fairfax County police officers responded yesterday morning (Thursday) to a reported armed robbery at the intersection of Laurel Crest Drive and Douglas Fir Drive. “Preliminarily, the suspect displayed a knife, stole property and fled the scene. The adult female victim was not injured.” [FCPD/X]

Bear Spotted in Centreville — “A bear has been spotted wandering through two communities in Centreville, prompting a reminder for residents to secure their trash and avoid leaving food sources accessible. The bear has been seen at Sequoia Farms and Belle Pond Farm, where it has reportedly gotten into trash cans and visited porches.” [WUSA9]

Va. Elections Chief Prepared for Midterms — “Virginia’s top elections official says voters can have confidence in both the integrity of the Nov. 3 midterms and the results, even if President Donald Trump or his allies challenge Republican losses or attempt to interfere with the election process.” [Virginia Mercury]

New Va. Program to Reduce Health Care Costs — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger, other state officials and community leaders rallied at Gethsemane Community Church in Norfolk to tout efforts to decrease health insurance costs ahead of the start of the state exchange’s open enrollment period.” The Virginia General Assembly has created a $150 million fund to subsidize health care coverage for those who left the market after federal subsidies expired earlier this year. [WHRO]

McElveen Honored for Supporting Student Journalists — Fairfax County School Board at-large member Ryan McElveen says he “was deeply honored to stand with our student journalists as I received the 2026 Virginia Administrator of the Year Award from the Virginia Association of Journalism Teachers and Advisors this week.” [Ryan McElveen/Facebook]

Free Cultural Festival Coming to Lake Anne — “More than 70 vendors offering international foods, clothing, jewelry and other goods will transform Lake Anne Plaza into a bustling marketplace for a free cultural festival on Sunday. Arabian Nights 2026, presented by Arabian Mosaic LLC, will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza, located at 1609 Washington Plaza N. in Reston.” [Patch]

Halloween Events this Weekend — Halloween celebrations will be in full force in Fairfax County starting today (Friday), with events planned through the weekend at The Boro in Tysons, Frying Pan Farm Park, Reston Town Center and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly. Other seasonal happenings include fall festivals at Tysons Corner Center and Reston Station. [Out & About Fairfax]

It’s Friday — Sunny with a high near 63 and northeast winds around 6 to 8 mph. Night will be clear, with a low around 40 and a light northeast wind. [NWS]

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