Author: FFXnow.com

Federal Government Shuts Down — “Plunged into a government shutdown, the U.S. is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline. Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, some potentially fired by the Trump administration.” [Associated Press]

Fairfax Football Team Banned From Playoffs — “Fairfax High School football team will not be in the playoffs this season, no matter how they play. The Virginia High School League placed the team on probation and banned it from postseason play after the school self-reported a recruiting violation … The league has tightened enforcement of rules after last year’s major controversy over transfers at the highly-ranked Hayfield Secondary School.” [WUSA9]

More Details on Burke Police Shooting — Fairfax County police released more details yesterday (Tuesday) on the circumstances leading up to an officer shooting a man in crisis who was allegedly wielding an ax, chainsaw, blowtorch and, at one point during negotiations, a gun. “The officer involved in the shooting has been identified as a 6-year veteran assigned to the Crisis Intervention Team.” [FCPD]

Rep. Beyer to Forgo Pay During Shutdown — “During my telephone town hall last night [Monday, Sept. 29], a constituent asked if Members of Congress get paid during a shutdown. I told her yes they do because of the 27th Amendment, but I will have mine withheld for the duration of a shutdown in solidarity with federal workers.” [Don Beyer/Bluesky]

Driver Charged in Fiery I-495 Crash — A Burke resident has been charged with reckless driving, with additional charges pending, after allegedly racing other drivers and crashing on I-495 on Sunday (Sept. 28). Three people, including the charged driver, were seriously injured when a 2020 McLaren 720S sideswiped a Honda Pilot before crashing over a guardrail and catching fire, Virginia State Police say. [FFXnow]

Maryland Increases Speeding Fines — “Maryland is adopting a tiered system for fines issued by speed cameras, effective Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. The higher a driver’s speed, the steeper the fine. Fines could cost hundreds of dollars, depending on how fast a driver is going.” [NBC4]

Sleepy Driver Leads to Vienna Crash — One driver was transported to a hospital with injuries from a three-vehicle crash that occurred on Lawyers Road NW at Blair Court NW around 4:36 p.m. on Monday (Sept. 29). Police say the driver was heading north on Lawyers when they “fell asleep at the wheel” and rear ended another vehicle, which in turn rear ended a third vehicle “due to the force of being struck” by the original vehicle. [Vienna Police]

County Conducts Business Survey — “The Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives (DEI) is asking business owners to participate in its latest Business Pulse Survey. This is an opportunity for all businesses, large and small, across the county to provide direct feedback on the current economic climate, operational challenges, and their outlook for the future.” [Fairfax County DEI]

It’s Wednesday — Expect partly sunny skies to transition to sunnier conditions, with temperatures reaching around 72°F and a 10 mph north wind. Wednesday night will be clear and cool with a low near 51°F, accompanied by a 6 mph northeast breeze. [NWS]

More Scrutiny for FCPS Over Abortion Allegations — “The U.S. Department of Education ordered Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to investigate claims that a school social worker helped a high school student get an abortion during the 2021-2022 school year … FCPS already launched its own internal investigation and hired an outside law firm to investigate. On Aug. 13, 2025, Gov. Glenn Youngkin asked Virginia State Police to investigate as well.” [NBC4]

What Happens if Federal Government Shuts Down — “Much of the federal government is on the verge of shutting down if Congress does not reach a deal to approve new funding by Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 … There have been 14 shutdowns since 1980, with the most recent coming in 2018. That shutdown lasted 34 days.” [CBS News]

Reston Native Marries Selena Gomez — “On Sunday, actress and singer Selena Gomez married record producer and Reston native Benny Blanco at a private ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, announcing the news in an Instagram post showing the couple kissing and embracing on a lawn.” [Patch]

McLean Old Firehouse Finishes Renovations — “Community leaders, teenage residents, parents, and F.H. Paschen representatives gathered on Sept. 20 to mark the completion of critical ADA-related renovations at the Old Firehouse Center (OFC), a facility operated by the McLean Community Center (MCC).” [Press release]

Replacement of Falls Church Motel Progresses — “Plans to open a new restaurant and beer garden at the site of a closed Falls Church motel are nearing completion. After months of demolition and construction, Stratford Garden is beginning to materialize at 300 W. Broad Street, where the Stratford Motor Lounge closed in 2021.” [ARLnow]

Local Greek Restauranteurs Eye Expansion — Eleni and Angelo Linardakis, who run Spartans in Burke and Olympians in Newington, are planning to open a new, fast-casual concept called Go GRK at Crosspointe Shopping Center in Fairfax Station. Aiming to launch the restaurant around November or December, the couple say it will have a “consolidated” menu focused on their Greek specialties. “So, no pizza, but plenty of chicken souvlaki, Greek salads, pita sandwiches and gyro fries.” [Washington Business Journal]

Mason District Restaurant Week Planned — “Fourteen restaurants in the Annandale/Mason area will participate in Mason District Restaurant Week Oct. 20-26. This year’s theme is ‘Eat Around the World.’ Some of the restaurants have already announced specials for Restaurant Week; the others will be doing so soon.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Tuesday — Expect a cloudy day with highs near 77°F and a northeast wind at 5 to 8 mph. Tuesday night will be mostly cloudy as well, with lows around 59°F and a north wind at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]

Fireworks Aimed at Police Breaking up Fight — Two Vienna police officers suffered minor injuries after someone set off fireworks at them while they were responding to a fight “involving a large crowd of high school students” at McDonald’s near James Madison High School on Friday (Sept. 26). Fairfax County and Virginia state police assisted with dispersing the crowd. This isn’t the first student fight to create issues at local McDonald’s, and fireworks were reportedly lit inside the Reston franchise on the Fourth of July. [DC News Now]

Driver Injured in Tysons Crash — Fairfax County firefighters responded yesterday (Sunday) afternoon to “a two vehicle crash at the intersection of Leesburg Pike and Tyco Rd. Crews arrived with one patient still inside. The patient was evaluated on scene and transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Swastika Found in Vienna School Bathroom — James Madison High School “Principal Liz Calvert informed families Thursday of the swastika etched into a wall in a boys bathroom on the school’s second floor. Staff quickly removed the symbol and started an investigation.” [Patch]

Woman Killed in Accidental Shooting — “Officers responded to the scene of the reported shooting in the row house community in the 4500 block of Derring Lane in Fair Oaks around 3:45 p.m. Friday. The gun ‘inadvertently discharged’ while another person in the house was cleaning it, police explained.” [WUSA9]

Full Impact of Federal Worker Cuts Looms — “When the fiscal year ends Tuesday night, government workers who have been on paid leave for months will be officially out of their jobs. A prolonged shutdown, which could also begin next week, could delay pay for remaining federal workers, too — and contractors, who don’t usually get back pay from shutdowns, would suffer as well.” [Washington Post]

Petition Objects to Potential Magnet School — “Some Fairfax County families are worried that the long-promised new high school in the western part of the district could become a magnet school instead of a traditional, community-based campus. Almost 300 people signed a petition urging Superintendent Michelle Reid and other county leaders to make it a regular public high school.” [WTOP]

Korean Cafe Coming to Annandale — “Dessert 39, a franchise company based in Korea, is coming to 7326A Little River Turnpike. The shop will open in the long-vacant storefront formerly occupied by the Manoa Bakery Café.” [Annandale Today]

Virginia Increases Proficiency Standards — “Virginia students will soon face tougher academic expectations. Nearly a month after school leaders demanded greater transparency, the State Board of Education voted Thursday to support raising the benchmarks — or cut scores — for math and English, setting off a debate over how the changes will affect classrooms.” [Virginia Mercury]

It’s Monday — Clouds will increase throughout the day, reaching a high near 79 degrees, accompanied by a 6 mph east wind. Tonight, there is a 20% chance of showers after 2am, with cloudy skies and a low of 66 degrees in a light northeast wind. [NWS]

Severe Hunger Increases in D.C. Region — “For the third year in a row, the number of people living in the Washington region facing the most severe form of hunger has increased, with more than 820,000 adults regularly skipping meals and struggling to find food in the last year. The rise in critical need is one of a handful of concerns highlighted in a report released Thursday by the Capital Area Food Bank.” [Washington Post]

Va. License Plate Readers Used by ICE — “As federal immigration officials stepped up deportations, law enforcement conducted nearly 3,000 searches related to immigration enforcement on Virginia’s Flock Safety network over a recent 12-month period, according to an analysis by the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO.” [VJIC at WHRO]

Walkinshaw on Potential Government Shutdown — “Newly elected Virginia Rep. James Walkinshaw says that President Donald Trump’s administration’s threat of mass firing was an ‘amateurish attempt to negotiate’ amid a looming government shutdown.” In an interview with WTOP, he calls for “a real bipartisan negotiation to resolve the differences that exist.” [WTOP]

Superintendent Laments Gun Violence — “I am writing to you again as our nation grieves yet another bout of intense gun violence in schools and communities across the country. Now more than ever, we look to parents as critical partners in preventing gun violence and keeping our schools safe.” [FCPS]

Tysons Casino Opponents Assemble — “Now that another bill promoting a casino in Tysons will be introduced in the next General Assembly, opponents are gearing up again to fight it. Leaders of the opposition presented their arguments at an online presentation on Sept. 24.” [Annandale Today]

Reston VC Firm Plans Investments — “Reston growth equity firm Razor’s Edge has closed an oversubscribed $560 million fund to invest in businesses serving the national security sector. Managing Partner Mark Spoto said he expects to deploy the fund — the 15-year-old investment firm’s fourth and largest ever — in full by the end of 2026.” [Washington Business Journal]

Skate Park Construction Underway — “The Fairfax County Park Authority began construction on a new skate park this month, with completion slated for this winter. Phase 1 of the Mount Vernon Woods Park renovation was completed earlier this year.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

FFXnow Says Goodbye to Reporter — “After seven years at ARLnow — and its Local News Now LLC sister sites ALXnow, FFXnow and the bygone Tysons Reporter and Reston Now — today (Thursday) is Vernon Miles’ last day. He’s departing Northern Virginia’s hyperlocal news scene to work as a writer and producer at FOX 5.” [ARLnow]

It’s Friday — Patchy fog will clear up before 8am, followed by mostly sunny skies and a high of around 81 degrees. A northwest wind will blow at about 6 mph. On Friday night, expect mostly cloudy conditions and a low temperature near 65 degrees with calm wind. [NWS]