Author: Emily Leayman

Emily Leayman is a senior reporter at ARLnow, ALXnow and FFXnow. She was previously a field editor covering parts of Northern Virginia for Patch for more than eight years. A native of the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, she lives in Northern Virginia.

Around Town

Moo Thru now serving ice cream at new shop in Burke

By Emily Leayman
The Burke Moo Thru (Staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)

Just in time for the hotter months, Burke residents have a new option for ice cream.

Moo Thru announced Monday (June 1) that it is now open at Burke Town Center (6025H Burke Centre Parkway). This is Moo Thru’s second Fairfax County location after a franchise opened in Herndon in 2024.

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Countywide

Spanberger vetoes bills on retail weed sales, class action lawsuits and more from Fairfax legislators

By Emily Leayman
Person weighs marijuana (via Add Weed/Unsplash)

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has vetoed legislation from numerous Democratic Fairfax County legislators relating to a marijuana retail market, class action lawsuits and other issues.

Yesterday, Spanberger rejected the General Assembly-passed versions of HB 642 and SB 542, which would have set up a retail market for recreational marijuana on Jan. 1, 2027 — more than five years after Virginia became the first state in the South to legalize possession of the drug by adults.

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Lawsuits filed after Fairfax legislators’ assault weapon ban signed by Spanberger

By Emily Leayman
The NRA's headquarters on Waples Mill Road (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

As soon as Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed one of the more polarizing gun safety bills from the 2026 General Assembly session — a ban on assault-style firearms — the Fairfax-based National Rifle Association vowed to fight the ban with a lawsuit.

The pair of bills from state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D-37) and Del. Dan Helmer (D-10), who represent parts of Fairfax County, will ban the sale and manufacture of “assault firearms” and magazines with the capacity of more than 15 rounds. The legislation provides exemptions to guns owned before the law becomes effective on July 1, 2026 but will ban new purchases starting on that date.

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Countywide

UPDATED: Spanberger vetoes collective bargaining bills from Fairfax County lawmakers

By Emily Leayman
Abigail Spanberger speaks at a campaign event in Annandale (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has vetoed collective bargaining legislation from Fairfax County legislators that would have expanded collective bargaining rights in Virginia.

SB 378 and HB 1263 from Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34) and Del. Kathy Tran (D-18) would have repealed any bans on collective bargaining, mandating that the state and local governments negotiate labor contracts if public employees form a union.

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News

Fairfax County small business owner shares support for Va. paid leave program at bill signing

By Emily Leayman
Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs legislation on Monday, May 11 that will create a paid family and medical leave program in Virginia (via Office of Gov. Abigail Spanberger)

A North Springfield child care center owner spoke in support of the new paid family and medical leave program at a ceremonial bill signing with Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) and lawmakers yesterday (Monday).

Starting on Dec. 1, 2028, Virginia’s new paid leave program will allow most workers to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave for significant life events like caring for a new child, recovering from serious illness, military family needs or caring for relative with a serious health condition.

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Virginia’s first paid family and medical leave program in pipeline under Boysko legislation

By Emily Leayman
State Sen. Jennifer Boysko speaks at a town hall in McLean as Del. Rip Sullivan looks on (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

A paid family and medical leave program will be set up for the first time in Virginia after Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed legislation from Fairfax County state Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-38) and Prince William County Del. Briana Sewell (D-25).

Boysko, who represents Reston, Herndon, Great Falls and McLean in the Virginia Senate, told FFXnow she has worked on the legislation for eight years.

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General Assembly rejects amended bill on collective bargaining for public workers

By Emily Leayman
Public workers associated with unions called for Gov. Abigail Spanberger to sign the original legislation expanding collective bargaining rights (via Bert Shepherd)

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D)’s substitute to Fairfax County legislators’ collective bargaining bill has been rejected by the Virginia General Assembly.

The General Assembly is holding a reconvened session to consider the governor’s amended and vetoed bills, including SB 378 and HB 1263 from Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34) and Del. Kathy Tran (D-18). The General Assembly did not take up Spanberger’s substitute to the legislation yesterday or today (Thursday).

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News

Spanberger proposes delaying start of retail marijuana sales allowed by Fairfax delegate’s bill

By Emily Leayman
Person weighs marijuana (via Add Weed/Unsplash)

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has proposed amendments to marijuana legislation that include delaying the launch of a recreational sales marketplace for adults.

The governor’s substitute for HB 642 and SB 542 would move the start of the legal retail market for marijuana from Jan. 1 to July, 1, 2027. It also changes marijuana possession limit from 2.5 to 2 ounces — still up from the current 1-ounce possession limit — and reduced the number of permitted stores from 350 to 200 until Jan. 1, 2029.

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Countywide

Fairfax senator decries ‘toothless’ amendments to bills restricting ICE activities

By Emily Leayman
Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (photo via Senator's Office)

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has recommended changes to bills on immigration enforcement from a Fairfax County state senator.

State Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D-37) had introduced Senate versions of the bills to restrict federal immigration enforcement in certain places, prevent law enforcement from wearing masks and ban state and local law enforcement agreements with federal immigration enforcement.

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Countywide

Va. tightens student cell phone bans under newly signed law from Fairfax senator

By Emily Leayman
Stella Pekarsky (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Cell phone bans will be strengthened at Virginia’s K-12 schools after a bill from a Fairfax County state senator was signed into law.

The bill tightening restrictions from state Sen. Stella Pekarsky (D-36) was signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) last week and will take effect on July 1.

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