Author: FFXnow.com

Health Center Project Votes Raise Concerns — “In a Dec. 28, 2025, letter … Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill invited Mayor Catherine Read and Fairfax County Board Chair Jeff McKay to a joint meeting to reach an agreement on how to best move forward with” the Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center project. Hill expressed concern that funding could be threatened after the Fairfax City Council only narrowly approved key zoning allowances in October. [Patch]

State Senator Ebbin Resigns — State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39), whose district includes Bailey’s Crossroads and Seven Corners in Fairfax County, “announced Wednesday night that he will be resigning to join Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger’s administration” as a senior advisor at the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker and former delegate Mark Levine have declared their candidacy for the vacated seat. [ALXnow]

New Data on Federal Job Losses — “The D.C. region shed about 72,000 federal government jobs last year, according to unemployment figures released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.” The 24,900 jobs lost in Maryland since January 2025 was the most of any state, while the District and Virginia followed at 24,000 jobs and 23,500 positions, respectively. [Washington Post]

Metro Finds Groove in 2025 — “Alongside New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Washington’s buses and trains have seen some of the best ridership recovery rates in the country. On top of that, fare evasion and crime on the system have dropped substantially in the last few years and customer satisfaction has risen.” [Governing]

FCPD Units Monitor Potential Threats — The Fairfax County Police Department’s Threat Assessment Management Team and Criminal Intelligence Unit “investigated or were consulted on over 800 threat cases in 2025, Police Chief Kevin Davis told WTOP … The threats are typically not crimes, Davis said. Instead, they’re First Amendment-protected speech aimed at an elected official, community leader, someone in the business or health care communities.” [WTOP]

Metro Launches Annual Food Drive — “Each January, Metro partners with the Capital Area Food Bank to help combat hunger by providing meals across Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Through the Fill-A-Bus campaign, Metro honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by turning service into action.” Virginia’s drop-off location is the Giant Food in Arlington (3450 Washington Blvd). [WMATA]

Regional Newspaper for Seniors Sold — “The Beacon Newspapers Inc. reported Jan. 7 that the print and online publications have been purchased from owners Stuart and Judy Rosenthal by the company’s longtime executive vice president, Gordon Hasenei … It currently has print editions in the Washington and Baltimore metro areas as well as in Howard County, Md., along with an online presence.” [ARLnow]

Herndon Hosts Dodgeball Tournament — “Get ready for high-energy action at our 1st Annual Dodgeball Tournament! Gather your squad and jump into a double-elimination, bracket-style showdown where co-ed teams battle it out for glory, bragging rights, and prizes.” Registration is still open for $100 per team, with the first round starting at noon tomorrow (Saturday) at the Herndon Community Center. [Town of Herndon]

It’s Friday — Rain is possible after 4pm with clouds increasing and a high near 56. On Friday night, there’s a 70% chance of precipitation, likely after 1am, with temperatures dropping to around 49. Precipitation amounts could range between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. [NWS]

Virginia U.S. Attorney Challenged — “A federal judge Tuesday ordered Trump ally Lindsey Halligan to explain why she continues to call herself the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia even though another judge determined in November that she had been unlawfully appointed to the position.” [NBC News]

Bill Would Restrict National Guard Deployments — “Virginia lawmakers are proposing a plan that would allow them to review any federal deployment of the state’s National Guard members … The bill would prohibit the Commonwealth’s National Guard from being used to interfere in an election and ensure there’s a legal review of any deployment. It also requires information about how deployments are funded, Del. Dan Helmer said.” [WTOP]

Falls Church Could Introduce Ranked-Choice Voting — “Falls Church will be able to hold ranked-choice City Council elections as early as 2027, if current Council members want to make the switch. The city is on track to acquire new voting equipment that would accommodate the ranked-choice format in time for the 2027 elections, city elections director David Bjerke told the Falls Church Electoral Board on Monday.” [ARLnow]

Lawmakers Seek to Update Social Services Tech — “Social services staffers around Virginia have for years grappled with outdated technology and are now preparing for extra workloads … House Bill 66 by Del. Michael Feggans, D-Virginia Beach, would direct the Department of Medical Assistance Services and the Department of Social Services to modernize the information technology they use to provide social and medical programs to Virginians.” [Virginia Mercury]

Rep. Walkinshaw on Goals for New Year — Rep. James Walkinshaw, who was elected to represent Virginia’s 11th Congressional District last fall, cites the Jan. 30 deadline to pass a new federal budget as the “biggest challenge” facing Congress at the start of 2026. He also says “the health care affordability issue is very real and very urgent …  so we’ve got to find a way to deal with that.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Drunk Driving Prevention Program Hits Milestone — SoberRide, which gives free rides during holidays to discourage impaired driving, has now served more than 100,000 people since it launched in 1991. Washington Regional Alcohol Program, the Tysons-based nonprofit that operates the initiative, says 1,446 people used SoberRide for last week’s New Year’s holiday alone. [Inside NoVA]

‘Queer Eye’ Reboot Ends With D.C.-Area Season — “Alexandria was home to the reality TV show ‘Queer Eye’ last summer as the Fab Five filmed their tenth and final season in the D.C. area. The Netflix show held its production headquarters in a warehouse at Van Dorn Station during a five-week shoot from late June to August 2025, Visit Alexandria spokesperson Allison O’Keefe told ALXnow.” [ALXnow]

New Legal Notice — Restaurant seeks state alcohol license; objections due in 30 days. [Public Notices]

It’s Thursday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high temperature near 53 degrees and light, variable winds. Moving into Thursday night, the skies will become mostly cloudy with a low around 40 degrees, accompanied by a southeast wind blowing at 3 to 6 mph. [NWS]

Police Chief on Effect of ICE Ramp-up — “As President Donald Trump’s administration continues to focus on federal immigration enforcement, there’s no evidence it has impacted community trust in Fairfax County, Virginia, Police Chief Kevin Davis said.” According to Davis, domestic violence calls can be one indicator of whether people feel comfortable calling the police, and Fairfax County saw no “substantial change” to that data in 2025. [WTOP]

Route 29 Widening Closes Lanes — “Weather permitting, the northbound Route 29 right lane between Clifton Road/Stringfellow Road (Route 645) and Sandy Point Lane (Route 7983) will be closed Wednesday, Jan. 7; Thursday, Jan. 8; Friday, Jan. 9; and Monday, Jan. 12, through Friday, Jan. 16, between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day for paving-related work as part of the Route 29 widening project … Drivers should expect delays and are advised to use alternate routes.” [VDOT]

Spanberger Shares Priorities Before Inauguration — “Democrat Abigail Spanberger will soon be sworn into office as Virginia’s 75th governor, making her the first woman to lead the Commonwealth. Spanberger will take her oath of office outside the Virginia State Capitol Building on Jan. 17 … Spanberger joined WTOP’s Shawn Anderson and Anne Kramer to discuss her plans as she prepares to serve as Virginia’s governor for the next four years.” [WTOP]

Man Charged After Allegedly Fleeing Traffic Stop — “A 63-year-old Fairfax man who tried to escape from a traffic stop early Sunday morning in Fairfax City faces nine charges, including one felony, according to authorities. Fairfax City police officers were on patrol shortly after 2 a.m. when they spotted a vehicle speeding and swerving near the intersection of Fairfax Boulevard and Fair Woods Parkway.” [Patch]

Tysons IT Contractor Buys Reston Company — Government contractor 22nd Century Technologies, which also goes by TSCTI, acquired “BT Federal Inc., the Reston-based subsidiary of London publicly-traded telecommunications firm BT Group” on Dec. 30, “marking its fourth acquisition in a little over two years. The company did not disclose a deal price, but [CEO Anil] Sharma said the acquisition is TSCTI’s largest to date.” [Washington Business Journal]

Vienna Soccer Player Goes Pro — “Vienna resident Audrey McKeen of the Virginia Development Academy has signed a professional contract with the National Women’s Soccer League’s Racing Louisville. The deal makes her one of the youngest players in the league. The 17-year-old will officially join the club in 2026. The deal is through the 2028 season.” [Inside NoVA]

Virginia Wine Ranked Among U.S.’s Best — “A signature red blend from Barboursville Vineyards has earned a place among the Top 50 U.S. Wines of the Year. Decanter, one of the United Kingdom’s most respected wine publications, chose Barboursville’s Octagon 2017 for its annual list. The publication reviewed more than 3,500 American wines for the ranking.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Falls Church Council Selects Mayor — “Falls Church’s incumbent mayor narrowly won reappointment to a new two-year term yesterday (Monday). Letty Hardi was selected by colleagues to continue in the post on a 4-3 vote, with new Council member Arthur Agin delivering the slim margin of victory.” [ARLnow]

New Legal Notice — Restaurant seeks ABC wine/beer on/off-premises license; objections due 30 days. [Public Notices]

New Legal Notice — ABC off-premises wine/beer license sought; objections due within 30 days. [Public Notices]

It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies during the day with a high temperature of around 57°F. The northwest wind will be blowing at 6 to 11 mph, and it could gust up to 23 mph. For Wednesday night, the sky will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 36°F. The northwest wind will diminish to around 6 mph and become calm by the evening. [NWS]

D.C. Region Sees Drop in Traffic Deaths — “Traffic deaths in the D.C. region fell roughly 18 percent in 2025, continuing a trend from the previous year that is reflected across the country: A spike in fatalities during the pandemic is now on the decline.” The biggest drops were in D.C. and Prince George’s County, while “in Northern Virginia, fatalities peaked in 2022 at 125. In 2025, police recorded 88.” [Washington Post]

Transportation Needs Complicate FCPS Redistricting — “When the Fairfax County School Board meets on Jan. 10 for a public hearing on school boundary changes, a key issue will be whether transportation will be provided to students who remain at their current school.” The school board split on a vote in December to provide transportation only to students who transfer to their newly assigned school. [Annandale Today]

Possible Plea Agreement in CEO Killing — “Loved ones of a CEO killed while asleep in his Fairfax City home are speaking out against a potential plea agreement that would allow the suspect to serve time in a mental institution instead of prison.” Ahead of a Jan. 23 status hearing, Gret Glyer’s sister and parents say they were told that prosecutors might let the suspect plea not guilty due to insanity. [WUSA9]

Bill Limiting FOIA Costs Returns — State Sen. Danica Roem, who represents the Manassas area, “has reintroduced Senate Bill 56 for the 2026 General Assembly session, which is set to begin next week, reviving an effort to tighten limits on how much state and local governments can charge for public records and to clarify how agencies seek court relief when responding to large or complex requests.” [Virginia Mercury]

Tysons Hotel Acquired — “Growing Virginia investment company SAK Developer has bought its third local extended-stay hotel in the last 20 months, bringing its hotel portfolio to seven. The company paid $37.5 million for the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tysons Corner at 8517 Leesburg Pike in December, according to public records.” Built in 1984, the hotel was renovated in 2018 by its previous owner, Nobel Investment Group. SAK also owns Staybridge Suites Tysons-McLean. [Washington Business Journal]

New Challenger to Rep. Beyer — “Daniel Gray, an Arlington resident and energy and sustainability program manager, announced yesterday (Sunday) that he is seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination for Virginia’s 8th Congressional district.” He is the fourth candidate looking to unseat incumbent Rep. Don Beyer in a June 16 primary. [ARLnow]

Reston Sculpture Offers Taste of Italy — “No need to travel, we have Italy at home! If you can’t make it to the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, you can find a piece of it in a sculpture in Reston.” A downsized replica of Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn’s work “Building Bridges” was installed last fall outside the JW Marriott hotel and residences. [NBC4]

Former Patch Editor Joins FFXnow’s Team — “Northern Virginia local news veteran Emily Leayman is joining ARLnow and its sister sites in the role of Senior Reporter. Leayman was previously an editor at Patch, where she covered numerous major local news events, as well as stories of more hyperlocal interest in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County and elsewhere.” [ARLnow]

It’s Tuesday — Expect patchy fog to clear by 10am, giving way to mostly cloudy skies and a high near 51°F, accompanied by a calm southeasterly wind at 6 mph in the afternoon. Night will remain mostly cloudy with a low around 44°F and a westerly wind at 7 mph. [NWS]

New NASA Head on Proposed Space Shuttle Move — “There’s a new NASA administrator in the Trump administration. And just a few weeks into his role, Jared Isaacman has already shared his thoughts on the controversial plan to move the Space Shuttle Discovery from Virginia to Texas,” telling CNBC that NASA could send another spacecraft to the Johnson Space Center if it can’t relocate the Discovery. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Lake Barcroft Businesses Assess Damage After Fire — “Several business owners at Barcroft Plaza are assessing what comes next after a fire tore through the shopping center Thursday morning … Among the businesses damaged were a martial arts studio, a swimming school, and a Benjamin Moore paint store.” [WUSA9]

FCPD Reports Drop in Some Crimes — “Crime fell across several categories in Fairfax County last year, Police Chief Kevin Davis told WTOP, touting the agency’s use of emerging technology, recruitment, retention efforts and focus on road safety. In an interview with WTOP on Friday, Davis said homicides fell 15% in 2025, compared with 2024.” [WTOP]

Progress Stalls on Virginia’s Clean Energy Law — “But five years after [the Virginia Clean Economy Act’s] passage, its clean-up has stalled. The data-center and AI explosion is forcing utilities to take desperate measures to generate more energy, even using dirty fuels. And, it turns out, the law provided exemptions allowing them to do so.” [New Energy Crisis]

Va. Woman’s Napkin Collection Preserved — “That early fascination seeded what over decades would become a paper napkin collection worth preserving. LaRoy kept sliding new finds into a blanket box under her bed — until, some years ago, she finally walked into the Library of Virginia. LaRoy handed them over, more than 1,100 in all, surprising and delighting curators.” [Washington Post]

McLean and Great Falls Legislators Hold Town Halls — “Want to hear about what is in store this General Assembly session and make your voice heard on state level issues? Join me and Senator Jennifer B. Boysko as we host a series of pre-General Assembly session town halls” at Great Falls Library at 6:30 p.m. tonight (Monday) and the McLean Community Center at the same time tomorrow (Tuesday). [Rip Sullivan/Facebook]

Firefighters Offer Free Public Safety Training — “Learn life-saving skills at free public safety training from February through May at Fire Station 3 … Classes cover hands-only CPR/AED, stop the bleed, stroke awareness, fire extinguisher use, smoke alarm basics, and more.” [City of Fairfax]

It’s Monday — Expect partly sunny skies with a high near 45 and a light wind shifting to the south between 5 and 10 mph in the morning. Winds may gust up to 18 mph. By night, skies will be mostly cloudy and the temperature will drop to around 35. The south wind will become calmer in the evening. [NWS]