Author: FFXnow.com

Transit Service Inches Closer to Normal — Metro is returning to weekday rail and bus service today (Thursday) after several days of no or limited operations as post-Winter Storm Fern cleanup efforts continue. Most Fairfax Connector routes will operate on a limited Saturday schedule, but a couple have resumed regular weekday schedules. [WMATA]

Extreme Cold Could Be Among Worst Since 1800s — “D.C. plunged to 13 degrees on Tuesday morning, while many locations in the region dipped into the single digits and below zero. The frigid morning was part of a punishing cold snap that ramped up Saturday and may not relax until around Groundhog Day on Feb. 2. By some measures, it could rank among the most severe cold spells since the late 1800s.” [Capital Weather Gang]

Health Insurance Enrollment Lagging — “With the deadline to register for health insurance coverage through the state’s marketplace this year fast approaching, thousands fewer Virginians have signed up so far this cycle. The deadline to register or change insurance coverage is Friday, Jan. 30.” Advocates attribute the decline to “a sharp increase in health insurance costs” due to changes at both the state and federal levels. [VPM News]

Responders Reflect on DCA Crash Anniversary — “Nearly one year ago, on Jan. 29, 2025, the capital region and the nation watched with shock and confusion as an American Airlines regional jet collided midair with an Army Black Hawk helicopter … While most watched the tragedy in the aftermath from phone screens and television, D.C. Police and Fire and EMS’ divers and crew members had to sift through the wreckage in the icy Potomac River.” [WTOP]

Dual DUI Arrests in Annandale — “Fairfax County police arrested two drivers after two vehicles struck police cruisers during a traffic stop on I-495 in Annandale. On Jan. 23, at approximately 4 a.m., officers conducted a traffic stop on the beltway approaching Little River Turnpike for suspicion of driving while intoxicated.” While officers were testing that driver for sobriety, a different driver crashed into two police cruisers stopped on the shoulder. [Annandale Today]

Family Reunited With Dog After Five Years — “How did you spend your snow day? Luke spent his day reuniting with his family after FIVE YEARS!” Two community members came across the dog “playing in the snow” at a local recreation center on Tuesday (Jan. 27) and brought him to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, which was able to locate Luke’s adopted family using a microchip. [FCAS/Facebook]

McLean Estate Sells for Almost $16M — “Easter Hill, a property consisting of two lots and nearly four acres along McLean’s Gold Coast, went under contract with contingencies at a list price of $15.999 million recently … While there is a four-bedroom home on the land, the buyer is primarily paying top dollar for some of the best views of the Potomac in the region.” There are signs that the site could be part of a “megadeal” involving three other adjoining properties, totaling 6 acres. [DC UrbanTurf]

Burke Store Sells $1M Raffle Ticket — “A retired U.S. Army officer couldn’t believe that the New Year’s Millionaire Raffle ticket he purchased at a Burke grocery store would be worth $1 million, according to the Virginia Lottery … The number of the ticket that the man purchased at the Giant Food at 6011 Burke Center Parkway in Burke was #038045.” It was one of five winning tickets worth $1 million reported on Jan. 1. [Patch]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny conditions and a high of 23 degrees, but wind chills could reach as low as -5 due to a west wind blowing at 6 to 10 mph, and gusts reaching up to 20 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear with a low of 6 degrees and wind chill values as low as -2, accompanied by a northwest wind at around 6 mph. [NWS]

Former FCPD Officer Pardoned for Fatal Shooting — “Shortly before leaving office, Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin granted an absolute pardon to a former Fairfax County police officer who killed a man while on duty and was later convicted of reckless firearm handling.” Wesley Shifflett’s prison sentence for shooting Timothy Johnson in Tysons was previously commuted by Youngkin. With the pardon, his conviction will be erased. [VPM News]

Investigation of DCA Plane Crash Concludes — “After a yearlong investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board blamed multiple systemwide failures for the midair collision of an Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines regional jet that killed 67 people.” Among other issues, investigators say the FAA ignored warnings from air traffic controllers that helicopters and planes landing at Reagan National Airport lacked “adequate separation.” [NPR]

Guide to County’s Hypothermia Program — “We are still facing significant challenges with near record cold temperatures this week. Prolonged exposure to extreme cold can be deadly. Our Hypothermia Prevention Program is now active, designed to ensure that no one in our community is forced to sleep outside.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Regional Restaurant Week Extended — “More Flavor. More Time. Winter #RestaurantWeek is officially EXTENDED through Feb 1. From signature 3-course lunches to can’t-miss dinners, the window is wide open. Follow the Flake: the icon marks participating restaurants.” [RAMW/X]

Helmer Settles Defamation Lawsuit — “Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, has reached a settlement with all parties in a defamation lawsuit he filed more than a year ago, ending a legal battle tied to sexual assault allegations that surfaced days before he finished second in a crowded June 2024 Democratic primary for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District.” [Virginia Mercury]

Behind the Scenes of FCPS Snow Days — “A week ago, as the threat of a major storm became realistic, the facilities team for Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia started holding meetings and getting contractors lined up.” Overseeing cleanup efforts from a snow command center at Woodson High School, FCPS leaders estimate that the response to Winter Storm Fern could cost about $1 million. [WTOP]

Reston Association Job Fair Coming — “Reston Association (RA) is gearing up for summer and inviting local job seekers to its Seasonal Job Fair, which will take place February 28 from 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. at RA Headquarters (12001 Sunrise Valley Drive).” Temporary positions will be available in aquatics, camps, tennis, maintenance and member services. [Reston Association]

A Look Inside Tysons Speakeasy — “Tysons got a taste of Tokyo last spring with the arrival of reservation-only Naisho Room atop the Watermark hotel. The sky-high speakeasy, which translates to ‘hidden’ in Japanese, is tucked inside the hotel’s gym.” [Eater DC]

It’s Wednesday — Expect increasing clouds and a high near 22, along with wind chill values dropping to -1, accompanied by a west wind blowing at 5 to 9 mph. Night will be partly cloudy with temperatures dropping to a low of 6 and wind chill values as low as -3. A calm wind will turn into a northwest breeze around 6 mph after midnight. [NWS]

County Extends Trash Collection Pause — “Due to inclement weather, trash, recycling, and special pickup services have now been suspended for Monday, January 26, and Tuesday, January 27.” Fairfax County customers typically scheduled for collections on Monday and Tuesday must now wait until next week (Feb. 2-3) for service. [DPWES]

Jack-Knifing Truck Crashes on I-495 — A tractor-trailer crash on I-495 in the Huntington area caused backups during the afternoon rush hour yesterday (Monday). “The crash occurred when the driver of a tractor-trailer in the right lane ‘lost control, jack-knifed, and struck an SUV’ on westbound I-495 around 4:08 p.m., according to Virginia State Police.” [ALXnow]

Dulles Passengers Adapt to Snow Delays — “Passengers at the D.C. region’s three major airports [were] optimistic their flights will take off Monday, after the weekend’s snow, sleet and ongoing brutal cold temperatures … One business traveler heading to Los Angeles had to travel back and forth to Dulles several times since Saturday.” [WTOP]

Investigators to Detail Causes of Potomac Plane Crash — “So many things went wrong last Jan. 29 to contribute to the deadliest plane crash on American soil since 2001 that the National Transportation Safety Board isn’t likely to identify a single cause of the collision between an airliner and an Army helicopter over the Potomac River at its hearing Tuesday.” [Associated Press/ARLnow]

FCPS Introducing New Emergency Management System — “FCPS is implementing a new emergency management system, created by Raptor, in all school buildings. The new system is designed to support faster, more coordinated responses during emergencies by improving communication among schools, security staff, local first responders, and law enforcement.” [Annandale Today]

Driver Sentenced for Fatal GW Parkway Crash — “A drunk driver who struck and killed a woman in a head-on collision on GW Parkway has been sentenced to 8 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter.” The driver reportedly had cocaine and alcohol in his system at the time of the Jan. 1, 2025 crash, and he was driving in the wrong direction near Roosevelt Island at 80 mph. [ARLnow]

Spanberger Faces Test on ICE — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger, sworn in earlier this month as Virginia’s 75th governor, has moved quickly to draw a line between state law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement, while acknowledging that much of the authority still rests outside her control.” After taking office on Jan. 17, she rescinded an executive order directing local and state agencies to assist ICE, but the move didn’t affect existing agreements. [Virginia Mercury]

Va. Democrats Push for Housing Reform — “Virginia Democrats campaigned on affordability last fall. Now that they’re in control of both houses of the General Assembly and the governor’s mansion, they face a tougher challenge: passing policies that will actually make housing more affordable.” [WAMU]

It’s Tuesday — Expect sunshine and a high of 26 degrees, though wind chill values can dip to -6. The west wind at 5 to 8 mph will shift to the south in the afternoon. Night will be partly cloudy and cool with a low of 8 degrees; wind chill values may reach -1 as the northwest wind moves at 3 to 7 mph. [NWS]

Brace for Extreme Cold — “The National Weather Service warns that temperatures and wind chills are projected to plunge below zero this week and will likely remain below freezing through at least Friday night. These temperatures will create hazardous conditions, which will impact road/sidewalk clearing and water main issues.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

No Fairfax Connector Bus Service — After initially planning to provided limited Sunday service, Fairfax Connector announced last night that it will suspend service today (Monday) based on challenging road conditions after Winter Storm Fern. “Service decisions are subject to change as road conditions require. Please visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/operatingstatus for additional service status updates.” [Fairfax Connector]

Free School Breakfast Bill Advances — “Senate Bill 4 by Sen. Danica Roem, D-Prince William, and House Bill 96 by Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, D-Alexandria, narrows the scope of free meals provided to students to just breakfast, and would have the state reimburse reimburse each school for the breakfasts they provide. After clearing the Senate and Education Committee unanimously on Thursday, it will be further deliberated in the Finance and Appropriations Committee.” [Virginia Mercury]

Bill Calls for Study of Snow Treatment Alternatives — “A bill from Sen. Danica Roem (D-Manassas) would direct the Virginia Department of Transportation to study the pros and cons of salting methods and alternatives. Many options have been proposed around the country, such as calcium or magnesium chloride and mixtures including sand, cat litter and even beet juice.” [VPM News]

Va. Could Rejoin Emissions Reduction Compact — “Virginia’s newly elected Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones took action Thursday that creates a pathway for Virginia to rejoin the carbon market called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI.” Jones filed a motion that could allow the state to settle or withdraw from a lawsuit over then-Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s withdrawal from the multi-state initiative. [Inside Climate News]

Lawsuit Over Solitary Confinement Allowed — “A class action lawsuit alleging that the Virginia Department of Corrections has violated its ‘Step Down’ program by arbitrarily keeping people confined solitarily for long periods of time will be allowed to move forward, a federal district judge ruled this week.” Vienna Del. Holly Seibold (D-12) said she was concerned about the treatment of people in restorative housing after visiting Red Onion State Prison last year. [Virginia Mercury]

Hawk Freed From Batting Cage Jam — “A hawk was rescued from a park in Annandale after it got caught in a batting cage. The Fairfax County Animal Shelter said animal control officers responded to a call last week that a hawk got stuck in a batting cage at Pine Ridge Park … Officers quickly helped to free the hawk and safely released it back into the wild.” [DC News Now]

Affordable Housing Waitlists Opening Soon — “The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) is opening the application waitlist for the Project-Based Voucher units from Feb. 2 through Feb. 8. Properties accepting waitlist applications are part of the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) – Project-Based Voucher program,” which “generally serves households with … up to 50 percent of the median income.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Monday — Expect a mostly sunny day with highs around 27 degrees and winds ranging from 11 to 16 mph, potentially reaching 28 mph. Night will be mostly clear, with lows near 2 degrees and wind chills as low as -7. The west wind will blow at 7 to 10 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph. [NWS]