Plans to grow Northern Virginia’s economy are showing progress, but rising housing costs and infrastructure demands could threaten the region’s long-term competitiveness, a new report says.
Released earlier this week by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (NVC), the 2026 NOVA Roadmap Progress Report assessed the region’s economic strengths and challenges.
The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is holding a public meeting this Saturday (May 2) on proposed renovations to the Audrey Moore Rec Center, the oldest recreational facility built by the agency.
The FCPA says the rec center has served as a community hub since its opening in Annandale in 1977. After undergoing some routine maintenance four years ago, the 76,000-square-foot facility complex is set for a major overhaul.
Registration is now open for the sixth annual Tour de Hunter Mill community bicycle ride set for Sunday, May 3. Participants can choose between riding two scenic routes — 11 or 19 miles — designed to accommodate both beginners and experienced cyclists.
This year’s event will highlight Vienna, according to Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who started the event in 2021.
Fairfax County officials are seeking public feedback on a proposed walkway along Idylwood Road to improve pedestrian and bicycle access.
The project will replace existing sidewalk and asphalt trail segments to form a continuous walkway along the northwest side of the road, extending about 100 feet of sidewalk east of Idylwood Court and 170 feet of trail west of Hillside Drive.
A new regional study warns that the D.C. area could face water shortages as early as 2030 if a severe drought hits.
The report, released by the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) last Friday (Dec. 5), says shifting weather patterns and rising demand are putting increasing pressure on the region’s supply.
The Fairfax County Park Authority is considering increasing some of its fees next year to increase revenue and make up for rising compensation costs.
The park authority unveiled the proposed fee changes at a board meeting last month (Oct. 22) and is accepting public comment through next Wednesday (Nov. 26).
Fairfax City is considering whether to keep a fare-free policy in place for its CUE bus system.
The city’s CUE buses stopped collecting fares in mid-2020 when the pandemic started. In 2022, the city adopted a four-year zero-fare pilot program that will expire at the end of fiscal year 2026, according to city documents.
The Fairfax County School Board voted last week to delay consideration of new middle school start times in order to focus on ongoing school boundary adjustments and identify an option that won’t affect the school system’s budget.
Mount Vernon District Representative Mateo Dunne, who introduced the motion during the school board’s meeting last Thursday (Oct. 23), reaffirmed his support for later start times but emphasized the importance of waiting until other changes are finalized.
Following feedback from both the tennis and pickleball communities, the Fairfax County Park Authority has decided not to move forward with plans for new dedicated pickleball courts at the Franconia Rec Center.
Andrew Grabel, a spokesperson for the park authority, tells FFXnow it’s striving to meet the needs of all community members by creating more dedicated pickleball and tennis courts and fewer dual-use courts throughout the county.
Nonprofits in Northern Virginia drive over $1.6 billion in economic activity, yet a new report warns that they face increasing threats from funding cuts, declining donations and growing demand.
Titled “The State of Nonprofits in Northern Virginia,” the Sept. 22 report from the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s research arm, Insight Region, says these risks could lead to program closures and reduced access to food, shelter, healthcare, and education.
