FFXnow is the definitive local news source for Fairfax County, featuring countywide coverage and hyperlocal reporting on the Reston and Tysons areas. This article was written by an editor or other member of FFXnow's full-time staff.
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Here are the nominees for “Best Urgent Care in Fairfax” as part of our FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. See your favorite center below? If not, write them in!
Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 8:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 6.
Voting for the Best Orthopedist in Fairfax County is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday, Jan. 30 at 8:30 a.m.
Aerial view of the Strawberry Lane and District Avenue corner at the Mosaic District in Merrifield (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Residents Stock Up Ahead of Snowstorm — “The latest forecast predicts 10 inches of snow falling on the Washington, D.C. region, bringing cold temperatures with it. In anticipation, Fairfax County residents began flocking to area hardware stores to stock up on shovels, bags of salt, and sleds.” [Patch]
Man Guilty of Murder at ATM — “Winston Nathaniel Lark IV was found guilty Thursday of first-degree murder and using a firearm in commission of a felony” for fatally shooting Nelson Alexander at an ATM in West Falls Church on Oct. 20, 2021. “A sentencing date has not been set yet. Lark faces 20 years to life on the first-degree murder conviction.” [NBC4]
Redistricting Referendum Date Proposed — “The House of Delegates Appropriations Committee voted 15–7 on Thursday to move forward a bill introduced by Chair Luke Torian (D–Prince William) that would set April 21 as the date for a ballot referendum on a proposed constitutional amendment that passed through the legislature on a partisan vote last week.” [VPM News]
Updates Underway at Bailey’s Homeless Shelter — “Since FACETS took over management of the troubled Bailey’s Shelter in late 2025, the nonprofit has taken steps to resolve the problems stemming from New Hope Housing’s mismanagement.” In addition to introducing more staff, the new shelter operator is working to upgrade its security system and has rejoined Fairfax County’s Operation Stream Shield litter pick-up program. [Annandale Today]
Homeowner Appeals Denial of Addition — A homeowner on Marble Lane in the Greenbriar area has turned to the Board of Zoning Appeals after Fairfax County staff ordered him to stop construction on a three-story addition found to be a few inches too close to a neighbor’s property line. Intended for the resident’s parents, the expansion sparked neighbor complaints and discussions of a zoning ordinance amendment that could “accelerate later this year.” [Washington Business Journal]
Parents Lobby for More Child Care Support — “Kaila Brewer, a Chesapeake mother and special education teacher, had to leave her job during the COVID-19 pandemic to care for her five-year-old son, who is autistic … That experience spurred her to advocate alongside other parents and supporters at the state Capitol on Wednesday and urge lawmakers to expand early childhood care options.” [Virginia Mercury]
Nonprofit Rolls Out Mobile Bathrooms — A Mobile Outreach Unit with private bathrooms, including hot showers, from Fairfax-based Pathway Homes will soon travel to sites in Northern Virginia and D.C., providing services to people experiencing homelessness. “According to Pathway Homes, only two of the 41 homeless shelters in Northern Virginia offer drop-in shower services for people not living in the shelter.” [WTOP]
Feedback Wanted From Military Community — “The Fairfax County Veterans and Military Families Commission is conducting a survey to identify gaps in serving county veterans and military community … The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete. The survey will close on Feb. 16, 2026. The feedback will be used to help inform county policy and practices.” [Neighborhood and Community Services]
It’s Friday — Expect partly sunny skies and a high near 44, as west winds increase to 12-17 mph in the afternoon, with gusts up to 24 mph. Friday night will be partly cloudy and colder, with lows around 10 and wind chill values as low as -7. Blustery conditions will prevail, featuring a north wind of 18-25 mph and gusts up to 36 mph. [NWS]
Expect partly sunny skies and a high around 43, accompanied by light west winds shifting to a 12-17 mph northwest breeze and gusts up to 24 mph. Friday night will bring mostly cloudy conditions, a low of about 10, and wind chills as low as -8. A blustery 17-25 mph northwest wind will blow, with gusts potentially reaching 36 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
A train stops at the Spring Hill Metro station near Tysons West (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
Nonprofit Shut Down for Candy Bar Sales Scheme — “Attorneys General from D.C., Maryland and Virginia announced on Tuesday that two local non-profits will shut down permanently for exploiting kids from low-income neighborhoods selling candy bars door-to-door without proof of compensation.” An investigation found that leaders of Maryland Youth Club and Virginia Youth Club, which is based in Fairfax County, was using the funds raised for their personal benefit. [WUSA9]
Defense Calls Witnesses in Double Murder Trial — “The defense attorney for Brendan Banfield, accused in the murder of his wife and a stranger in an alleged plot to end up in a relationship with the family au pair, started calling witnesses, including experts in digital forensics, to testify early Wednesday.” Judge Penney Azcarate noted at the end of the day that the courthouse could close early next week if there’s a lot of snow this weekend, but the trial remains “ahead of schedule.” [DC News Now]
Voting Access Bills Advance — “With the 2026 General Assembly session in full swing, Democrats on Tuesday advanced a slate of voting and campaign finance measures aimed at expanding access to the ballot box and increasing transparency in elections,” including one sponsored by Del. Paul Krizek that would establish an online campaign finance portal similar to the platform currently offered by the Virginia Public Access Project. [Virginia Mercury]
New Va. Attorney General Outlines Vision — “Jay Jones took swift action after taking the oath of office on Saturday and becoming the Commonwealth of Virginia’s 49th attorney general. The Democrat joined on to several existing state lawsuits against President Donald Trump’s administration and reversed several opinions issued by his Republican predecessor,” following through on a campaign promise to “push back against federal overreach.” [VPM News]
Former Reality TV Star Challenges Warner — “Another candidate has entered a challenge against Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) in the lawmaker’s first primary election in his 18 years on the Senate. Mark Moran, a former reality television star and Wall Street investment banker who lives in Falls Church,” says he would prioritize cost-of-living issues if elected and support abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, among other plans. [ARLnow]
Theft Reported at Home Depot in Fairfax — “City of Fairfax police are asking the public’s help in identifying two men who they say stole $1,284 worth of merchandise from a city business on Friday. On Tuesday, police released photos of the two men who stole the merchandise from the Home Depot store located at 3201 Blenheim Blvd.” [Patch]
Police Facility Nearing Construction Finish — “The Fairfax County Police Department’s new building for its Operations Support Bureau is expected to open in February, says project manager James Sun. That’s three years after the facility, at 3911 Woodburn Road in Annandale, was originally supposed to be completed.” [Annandale Today]
Burlington Possibly Coming to Chantilly — “A new store is planned for Chantilly Crossing. The shopping center will soon be home to Burlington, which is set to take over part of the space previously occupied by Office Depot and Party City,” according to a site plan from property owner Kite Realty Group Trust. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 51, with southwest winds at 7 to 10 mph shifting to the west in the afternoon and gusting up to 20 mph. As for Thursday night, it will be partly cloudy with a low around 29 and a light northwest wind at 3 to 6 mph. [NWS]
The weather will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching around 50 degrees. Southwest winds will be 7-10 mph, turning into northwest winds in the afternoon and possibly gusting up to 21 mph. For Thursday night, expect partly cloudy skies and a low of approximately 28 degrees, with northwest winds at 3-6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
A worker on an awning over the Vienna Community Center entrance (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
N. Va. Democrats Hopeful After Inauguration — “Northern Virginia Democrats were in high spirits at the inauguration of Gov. Abigail Spanberger this weekend, looking toward new opportunities for a variety of bills held back by the previous administration. Legislators and political observers expect fewer vetoes and more collaboration with Democratic policymakers.” [ARLnow]
Big Snow Storm Possible This Weekend — “Confidence is increasing that there will be a ‘significant’ winter storm Saturday into Sunday along the Interstate 95 corridor, including the D.C. region and the rest of the mid-Atlantic, according to the National Weather Service … The storm is on track to begin in the D.C. region Saturday afternoon, peak Saturday night into Sunday, and end Monday.” [WTOP]
Virginia U.S. Attorney Ousted — “Lindsey Halligan, a Trump administration lawyer who was named head of a key U.S. attorney’s office in Virginia last year with instructions to seek criminal charges against President Donald Trump’s political adversaries, left her post at the Justice Department on Tuesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi said.” [Washington Post]
New Members Appointed to GMU Board — “Shortly after being sworn in on Saturday, Gov. Abigail Spanberger appointed members to the Boards of Visitors for George Mason University, the University of Virginia, and Virginia Military Institute. She also ordered a review of the higher-ed board confirmation process, which was the center of contention between lawmakers and the previous gubernatorial administration last year.” [Virginia Mercury]
Progress on American Legion Bridge Overhaul — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore say they’ve “made significant progress” on an agreement to accelerate rebuilds of the Francis Scott Key and American Legion bridges. For the American Legion Bridge in particular, they say they will “leverage innovative approaches like a public private partnership” to move the project forward. [FOX5]
Dog Reunited With Family After Almost Three Years — “A dog was reunited with his family in Maryland last week after he went missing almost three years ago. The Fairfax County Animal Shelter said animal services officers responded to a call about a stray dog and ‘they had no idea they were about to help reunite a long-missing pet!'” [DC News Now]
Reston Native Coaches College Championship Team — “A former NFL coach from Reston was one of the coaches that helped lead the Indiana University football team to its first national championship on Monday night. The Hoosiers defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 27-21, and finished the season with a perfect 16-0 record.” A graduate of South Lakes High School, Ola Adams was in his second season as Indiana’s safeties coach. [Patch]
Ethiopian Market Coming to Bailey’s Crossroads — “An Ethiopian food shop called Nazret Market #4 is expected to open in Bailey’s Crossroads next month, says owner Aftataw (Mamush) Muluneh. The shop, at 5810 Seminary Road, will offer spices, meat, grains, and other items imported from Ethiopia.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Wednesday — Clouds will gradually increase throughout the day, reaching a high near 40°F, accompanied by a southeast wind that will shift south at 9-14 mph in the morning and gust up to 25 mph. At night, expect partly cloudy skies with a low around 33°F. [NWS]
Expect increasing clouds and a high near 40, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 5 to 15 mph and gusts up to 28 mph. Wednesday night will turn partly cloudy with lows around 33, and a southwest wind ranging from 9 to 13 mph, gusting as high as 23 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
Wish You Were Here mural on the Draper’s Steak and Seafood building in Old Town Fairfax (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
New Governor’s First Executive Orders — Following her inauguration on Saturday (Jan. 17), “Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed 10 executive actions that broadly targeted affordability and pushed the commonwealth away from former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s approaches to education, immigration and race.” [VPM News]
Polls Open for House District 17 Election — “Residents in parts of Fairfax County will head to the polls on Tuesday, Jan. 20, to fill a vacancy in the District 17 House of Delegates seat. District 17 includes communities in Franconia, Huntington, Kingstowne, and Rose Hill.” Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. as Democratic nominee Garrett McGuire and Republican Christopher Cardiff compete to succeed longtime delegate Mark Sickles. [WUSA9]
Gun Brandished at Springfield Town Center — “Springfield Town Center in Virginia was locked down for 45 minutes Saturday night after an individual showed a gun during an incident. Police said they got a report of a ‘domestic-related brandishing’ incident just before 8:10 p.m.” There was no evidence any shots were fired. [WTOP]
Trooper Injured in American Legion Bridge Crash — “A Virginia State Police trooper and police dog suffered minor injuries in a crash during a pursuit Friday morning on Interstate 495. At approximately 3:38 a.m., the trooper spotted a vehicle on Interstate 95 northbound near Fairfax County Parkway traveling at 90 mph, Virginia State Police spokesman Matthew Demlein said in a news release.” [Inside NoVA]
DOJ Sues Va. for Voter Data — “The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday sued Virginia for not handing over state voter data, the latest among several states the department has targeted in an effort to retrieve registration information from individuals across the country since last year.” [The Hill]
Cause of Burke Centre House Fire Found — A house fire that occurred on New Year’s Day in the 5500 block of Corot Court was caused by an “electrical event” in the home’s basement, Fairfax County fire investigators have determined. No injuries to firefighters or the three occupants were reported, but “sadly, two cats died in the fire,” which resulted in an estimated $147,750 in property damages. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
Former NBA Player Arrested — “Former NBA player Delonte West, who once played a key role on the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, has been arrested and charged with robbery and assault in Fairfax County, Virginia. West, 42, was arrested after the reported assault and robbery on Dec. 21 around 6:40 a.m. in the 5900 block of Richmond Highway in Belle Haven.” [WTOP]
FCPS Teacher Joins 5th House District Race — “Voters in [today’s] Democratic firehouse primary will have four candidates to choose from after Fairfax County Public Schools teacher Gregory Darrall entered the race this weekend … The candidates are competing to run for Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker’s seat” after she resigned to campaign for outgoing state Sen. Adam Ebbin’s 39th Senate District seat. [ALXnow]
Recommendations for Reston Visitors — “Today, it’s noted for its open-air town center, green spaces, arts and culture, and walking and biking trails that make it easy to get around Reston. Book a room at the Hyatt Regency Reston to be at the center of the action when you come to explore. Here’s what to do on your next visit to Reston.” [Southern Living]
It’s Tuesday — The weather will be sunny, reaching a high of 29 degrees, accompanied by a west wind blowing at 9 to 11 mph and gusts up to 24 mph. The night will be mostly clear with a low temperature of 17 degrees and light variable winds. [NWS]
Scattered snow showers in the morning will transition to rain showers between 9am and noon, with a cloudy sky and high near 46. Expect Southwest winds at 8 to 10 mph, gusting up to 20 mph, and a 50% chance of precipitation. Saturday night brings a mix of rain and snow from 1am to 4am followed by possible snow, as temperatures drop to around 31. Light Northwest winds at 3 to 5 mph accompany a 30% chance of precipitation. See more from Weather.gov.
We hope you have a great weekend! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋
From pulled muscles to arthritis, bodily aches and pains can become debilitating if not properly addressed. Fortunately, there are specialists in Fairfax County who can help.
Here are the nominees for “Best Orthopedists in Fairfax” as part of our FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. See your favorite doctor below? If not, write them in!
Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 8:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 30.
Voting for the Best Pediatrician in Fairfax County is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday, Jan. 23 at 8:30 a.m.
