Author: FFXnow.com

FCPS Condemns Reportedly Antisemitic Student Videos — “Fairfax County Public Schools is condemning a couple of student-made videos that drew outrage online after Jewish organizations called them antisemitic. The clips, created by Muslim student groups at two Northern Virginia high schools, show teenagers acting out mock kidnappings, which school officials say have no place in classrooms or on school social media accounts.” [WUSA9]

How Much Government Shutdown Might Cost — “The U.S. economy will lose between $7 billion and $14 billion because of the federal government shutdown, according to a new report released Wednesday by Congress’s nonpartisan bookkeeper.” The dip in the country’s gross domestic product would stem from “federal workers missing paychecks and the interruption of food benefits for low-income Americans.” [Washington Post]

State House Passes Redistricting Amendment — “After three days of partisan wrangling in a surprise special session, the Virginia House of Delegates on Wednesday approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would give lawmakers limited power to redraw the state’s congressional districts mid-decade — a move Democrats say is needed to protect the commonwealth if other states manipulate their maps for partisan gain.” [Virginia Mercury]

Where to Find Emergency Food Sites — “Get emergency access to food items, diapers, baby food/formula, toiletries, and household items via the [Fairfax County] Emergency Food Access Providers Application, which is available online … Fairfax City residents are eligible for these services.” [City of Fairfax]

Reston Online Learning Company Sheds Students — “Stride (NYSE: LRN) executives said on an earnings call Tuesday that two new software tools launched over the summer … experienced glitches that made it difficult for students to log in or consistently access the platform. As a result, between 10,000 and 15,000 students have unenrolled from Stride courses and the company said it is capping enrollment in certain programs while it works to fix the problems.” [Washington Business Journal]

‘Flying’ Boat Company Eyes Potomac River — The Swedish company Candela recently “spent a week showing off quiet, speedy electric boats on the Potomac. The potential customers? Everyone from local retailers to the Pentagon, which sits right across the river from the Columbia Island Marina where Candela staged rides on one of its hydrofoil boats.” [Washington Post]

Wonder Food Hall Opening in Reston — The growing food hall chain Wonder will celebrate the grand opening of its new location at Plaza America with a ribbon-cutting ceremony today (Thursday) at 4:30 p.m. Planned festivities will start at 5 p.m. and include “exclusive Wonder gifts” for the first 100 customers, live music, tarot card readings and more. [Wonder]

Local Businesses Donate Cosmetics — “The Fairfax County Police Department’s Victim Services Division (VSD) joined with Great Clips and Bank of America on Tuesday, October 28, for the second annual Empowerment Bags presentation at Great Clips in Fairfax.” For the campaign, the businesses collected “cosmetics and self-care products … throughout October in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.” [Press release]

It’s Thursday — Expect rain and a potential thunderstorm before 1pm, followed by possible showers between 1 and 2pm, with a high of 66 degrees. Winds of 13-15 mph will turn south in the afternoon, with gusts up to 24 mph. There is a 90% chance of precipitation. Thursday night will be mostly clear, with a low of 47 degrees. [NWS]

Pedestrian Injured in Bus Crash — A man was taken to a hospital with injuries described as life-threatening last night after being hit by the driver of a Fairfax Connector bus at Government Center Parkway and Monument Drive near Fair Oaks. The bus driver stayed at the scene. Monument Drive closed at the intersection while detectives investigated. [FCPD/X]

House Fire in West Falls Church — Fairfax County firefighters responded just after 9 p.m. yesterday (Tuesday) to “multiple reports of a house on fire in the 3000 block of Graham Road … Units arrived to heavy fire showing from a single-family home.” The fire was extinguished by 9:45 p.m., and no injuries were reported. An investigation is underway. [FCFRD/Facebook]

More Details on Va. SNAP Substitute — “Virginia’s budget surplus will fund a state-level replacement for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program should the federal government shutdown continue into November, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday. Dubbed Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance, or VENA, the newly-created program is expected to send money to SNAP beneficiaries’ Electronic Benefit Transfer cards starting on Nov. 3.” [Virginia Mercury]

AG Claims About Early Inmate Releases Questioned — “The Office of the Attorney General released a dataset on Monday which refuted claims made for months by Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares about the danger of inmates released early because of the enhanced earned sentence credit program.” [Cardinal News]

Police Investigate Seven Corners Shooting — “On October 27, at 11:01 p.m., officers responded to the 6100 block of Leesburg Pike in Seven Corners for a shooting. The victim, an adult male, suffered a gunshot wound to the upper body and was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Preliminarily, this appears to be an isolated incident. The investigation is ongoing.” [FCPD]

Arrest in Gym Theft Spree — “A Maryland man with nearly 140 active warrants has been arrested and charged in connection with a series of gym thefts in Fairfax County, according to police.” The 50-year-old man allegedly “broke into lockers, stole personal items and credit cards, and used them at nearby stores” in at least five different cases starting in December 2024. [Patch]

Local Charities Awarded Grants — “Cox Communications employees awarded a total of $35,000 in grants to local nonprofits, through Cox Charities Community Investment Grants, during [Tuesday’s] Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting.” Recipients included Cornerstones, the Falls Church Education Foundation, Western Fairfax Christian Ministries and more. [Press release]

McLean Community Center Celebrates 50 Years — “The McLean Community Center celebrated its 50th anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 5 to 10 p.m. The community couldn’t have asked for a better celebration — music through the decades, dancing, food, drinks, trivia, and more — at the center, which officially opened in October 1975.” [Connection Newspapers]

It’s Wednesday — There’s a 20% chance of isolated showers are expected before 10am and after 2pm, with partly sunny skies and a high of 57°F. At night, expect rain and possible thunderstorms after 5am, a low of 51°F, and a 90% chance of precipitation. New rainfall could measure between three quarters and one inch. [NWS]

General Assembly Begins Special Session — “With just one week before Election Day, Virginia lawmakers returned to the state Capitol Monday for a surprise special session that swiftly turned into a partisan clash over the future of the state’s congressional map — and, potentially, its balance of political power for years to come.” [Virginia Mercury]

Update: County Workers Ratify Contract — Members of SEIU Local 512’s Fairfax County chapter officially ratified their collective bargaining agreement on Friday, Oct. 24 by a 99.9% vote, the union announced. If approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the three-year contract will take effect on July 1, 2026. [FFXnow]

Cat Reunited With Family After 15 Years — “Flora the cat was reunited with her family last week after a 15-year adventure, thanks to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter … According to her family, Flora wandered off when she was just a kitten during a move to a new apartment.” [NBC4]

Capital One Settles Class Action Lawsuit — “Anyone who had a particular account through Capital One could soon be receiving money as part of a multi-million dollar class action settlement. The $425 million settlement involves the bank’s popular 360 Savings accounts, which a lawsuit alleges was ‘deceptively marketed,’ ‘cheating’ millions of customers out of more than $2 billion in interest.” [NBC4]

Fewer Early Childhood Centers in Need of Support — “Virginia’s list of early childhood centers rated as ‘needing support’ has been cut in half from 51 to 25 over back-to-back school years, with instruction identified as the most common aspect requiring improvement.” [Virginia Mercury]

Great Falls Estate for Sale — Alderley Manor, a 22,000-square-foot mansion originally at 576 Innsbruck Avenue in Great Falls for AOL executive Richard Hanlon, is on the market for an initial asking price of $16 million. Currently owned by SilverArrow Capital Group founder Thomas Limberger, the six-bedroom home features gardens and a koi pond, a car barn with a cigar lounge, a sport court, a chef’s kitchen, a theater, a wine cellar, a fitness center, a library and a heated lap pool, among other amenities. [Washington Business Journal]

TJ Students Use AI to Make Computers More Accessible — “Dhanvin Ganeshkumar recalls seeing his grandparents struggle with computer tasks because of hand tremors. He wanted to help — but the 16-year-old says existing technologies were either expensive or outdated. So, he started coding in his bedroom using a smartphone camera and came up with a tool that allows them to use simple hand gestures and voice commands to control a computer.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Tuesday — Expect mostly cloudy skies with temperatures reaching near 57 degrees, accompanied by a northeast wind at 10 to 14 mph and gusts up to 24 mph. On Tuesday night, there is a 30% chance of showers primarily after 2am, with mostly cloudy conditions and a low around 45 degrees. [NWS]

Police Recruit Charged With DWI — “Fauquier County Sheriff Deputies have arrested a Fairfax County police recruit. On October 24, Fauquier County Sheriff Deputies arrested [the 24-year-old woman from Manassas] and charged her with Driving While Intoxicated. The recruit has been placed on administrative leave pending final disciplinary action.” [FCPD]

Proposed Redistricting Adds to Election Stakes — “The already high stakes were elevated even further last week by a surprise Democratic plan to redraw Virginia’s congressional map — the latest entry in a multistate redistricting arms race. The strategy hinges on the party holding or widening its 51-49 majority in the lower chamber, where all 100 seats are on the Nov. 4 ballot.” [Washington Post]

Man Killed on Highway While Fleeing ICE — “A man who was reportedly trying to run from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents Thursday morning was struck and killed by a car on Interstate 264 in Norfolk, officials said … Immigration attorneys and advocates across Virginia say the tragedy underscores a growing climate of fear among immigrant communities as ICE enforcement efforts ramp up nationwide.” [WTKR]

Judge Indicates Support for Challenge to Felon Voting Ban — “A judge signaled that he was likely going to rule in favor of a pair of disenfranchised voters Thursday who argued Virginia’s felony voting law violates a 150-year-old federal statute.” The plaintiffs argue that the ban shouldn’t apply to felonies that weren’t considered crimes in 1870, when the Virginia Readmission Act prohibited the state from amending its constitution to disenfranchise voters. [Courthouse News Service]

Road Repairs to Disrupt Vienna Commutes — “The left turn lane on Nutley Street NW, heading south on to Maple Avenue, will be closed Tuesday, Oct. 28, starting at 8:30 a.m. for asphalt repairs. There will be no access to the WAWA parking lot or Hawk and Griffin from Nutley Street NW, but drivers will be able to make left turns onto Maple Avenue from the straight thru lane.” [Town of Vienna/Instagram]

Mega-Mansion Under Construction in McLean — A new residential property named “Chateau la Grace” is under construction at 7327 Georgetown Pike for an unidentified client of The Building Group Inc. Possibly the largest home ever built in McLean, the three-level, 49,760-square-foot mansion will feature “at least 10 bedrooms and 10 full-baths,” a detached pool house, a dog room with a shower, a wine cellar, a library, a sauna and massage room, an outdoor tennis court, a dining hall, and more. [Washington Business Journal]

Man Facing 25 Criminal Charges — “A man is facing charges after police said he broke into cars and stole multiple credit cards from victims in Fairfax County.” Officers received a tip last Tuesday (Oct. 21) that led them to a man in the 7600 block of Tiverton Drive in Springfield who was wanted on “21 active warrants on counts ranging from credit card theft, identity theft, narcotics possession, vehicle tampering and hit-and-run.” [Patch]

Greenbriar Pickleball Courts Now Open — “The Fairfax County Park Authority recently built five new pickleball courts that are now open at Greenbriar Park. The park offers convenient access for nearby neighborhoods, ample parking, restroom facilities and ADA accessibility.” [FCPA]

It’s Monday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 60 degrees and a northeast wind between 6 and 9 mph. Monday night will be partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to around 43 degrees and a northeast wind at 6 to 8 mph. [NWS]

Va. Dems Expected to Push for Redistricting — “Virginia’s General Assembly will meet Monday in Richmond — in a legislative session hastily reconvened by Democrats — to join nationwide efforts to counteract a gerrymandered redistricting push by President Donald Trump, legislators told VPM News.” Clerks said the meeting will “technically” be part of a special session called earlier this year that’s still active. [VPM News]

FCPS Reports Region’s Biggest Enrollment Drop — “Recent preliminary headcounts taken in September and October are showing a 1-2% decline in enrollment at DC-area schools. These percentages may seem small, but they can have big implications for teacher hiring rates, school budgets and even closures … Fairfax County, the largest school district in the DC-area with roughly 180,000 students, has the most significant drop in enrollment.” [NBC4]

Voting Rights Case Appealed to Supreme Court — “A yearslong legal challenge to Gov. Glenn Youngkin over access to records concerning his administration’s changes to voting rights restoration entered a new chapter this year, after the Virginia Court of Appeals in August ruled that the case, lodged by the Virginia NAACP, can move forward.” Youngkin petitioned Virginia’s Supreme Court last month to review the case. [Virginia Mercury]

Halal Restaurant Opens in Fairfax City — “Shah’s Halal Food opened its doors this week at 9625 Fairfax Blvd., which is adjacent to Okonomi Asian Grill in the Fairfax Circle area. It’s open daily 10 a.m. to 12 a.m.” Serving kababs, gyros and other Mediterranean staples, the chain started in New York City in 2005. [Patch]

Local Telecomms Companies to Merge — “Falls Church telecommunications satellite firm Lynk Global Inc. is set to merge with Omnispace LLC, a Tysons-based communications company,” forming a new entity expected to launch later this year or in early 2026, pending regulatory approval. “The combination of Lynk and Omnispace will yield a workforce of about 100 employees, [Lynk spokesperson Amy] Mehlman said.” [Washington Business Journal]

Learn About Revolutionary War-Era Vienna — “What was the area we now call Vienna like on the cusp of the Revolutionary War? Join local historians and archivists as they travel back through time and provide context and answers at the panel discussion: ‘Vienna in 1775.’ This event, presented by the ViennaVA250 Committee and Historic Vienna Inc., takes place on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at 2 p.m. in the Vienna Community Center Auditorium.” [Town of Vienna]

Rec Center to Celebrate Reopening — “Fairfax County Park Authority will host a grand reopening event at Mount Vernon Rec Center” on Saturday, Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “The free celebration will feature family-friendly activities, demonstrations in each area of the Rec Center, giveaways and games.” [FCPA]

Park Authority Awarded for Energy Improvements — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is proud to announce that it has been awarded the Virginia Energy Efficiency Council award in recognition of its exceptional energy efficiency improvements at the Spring Hill Rec Center. This honor highlights FCPA’s leadership in sustainability and its commitment to reducing energy consumption across its facilities.” [FCPA]

It’s Friday — Clouds will increase throughout the day, reaching a high temperature near 61. A light west wind will shift to the northwest at 8 to 13 mph in the morning and may gust up to 22 mph. By Friday night, skies will be mostly clear and the temperature will drop to around 39. [NWS]