Author: FFXnow.com

Va. National Guard to Train With ICE — “The Virginia National Guard says solders will begin training with Immigration and Customs Enforcement later this month. In a statement, the Guard said the soldiers will deploy with ICE in early September to ‘provide administrative and logistics support’ to the federal agency.” [WVTF]

White House to Review Smithsonian — “The White House is ordering a wide-ranging review of the Smithsonian museums and exhibitions ahead of the country’s 250th birthday with a goal of aligning the institution’s content with President Donald Trump’s interpretation of American history.” The eight museums subject to the initial review include the National Air and Space Museum, whose Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly. [Associated Press]

Fairfax Man Charged in Fatal Crash — “A Fairfax driver has been charged in a crash killing a motorcyclist and injuring two others in Nokesville Monday, according to Prince William County Police.” An 18-year-old driver of a 2012 Mazda 5 has been charged with reckless driving for allegedly failing to yield the right of way on a left turn, which caused a motorcyclist to crash into a Jeep Wrangler. [Patch]

Dems Push for Indigenous People’s Day — “State Democrats plan to make Indigenous People’s Day an official holiday in Virginia and will discuss the proposal in the next legislative session in January, a state delegate said over the weekend. The measure could face opposition from Republicans and others because it would mean replacing Columbus Day.” [Virginia Mercury]

Beyer Clashes With DHS — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security “publicly criticized U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D) in a press release after he visited Farmville Detention Center on Friday. It accused him of prioritizing detainees with criminal convictions over crime victims.” Beyer’s spokesperson responded with criticism of the conditions at the immigration detention center. [ARLnow]

Arrest Made in 7-Eleven Robberies — “A man being held without bond in the Alexandria jail faces robbery charges for allegedly walking into convenience stores in Alexandria and Fairfax County with a hammer or tire iron and stealing cigarettes from behind the counters.” [ALXnow]

Changes to Expect in New School Year — “It’s back-to-school season already, and many NoVA families will notice some significant changes.” For Fairfax County Public Schools, notable changes will include an expansion of weapons scanners to all high and middle schools, new cell phone restrictions, and additional speed cameras. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Free Car Wash for School Workers — “In celebration of the start of the new school year, Mr Wash Car Wash is offering free car washes for all school employees on Thursday, Aug. 14 at all of its Northern Virginia locations, including the Mr Wash Car Wash at 8218 Leesburg Pike in Tysons.” [Patch]

It’s Wednesday — Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms, with a high temperature around 89°F. The 60% chance of precipitation declines to 40% at night, with showers and thunderstorms possible before 2am. Anticipate a mostly cloudy evening with the temperature dropping to around 73°F. [NWS]

Lawmakers Criticize Trump Move on D.C. — “Alexandria’s congressional delegation joined a chorus of regional lawmakers Monday condemning President Donald Trump’s decision to federalize Washington D.C.’s police department and deploy National Guard troops, with U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine calling the move a ‘waste of taxpayer dollars’ designed to distract from other issues.” [ALXnow]

Virginia Shares Personal SNAP Info — “The Virginia Department of Social Services is sharing the personal information of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program applicants with the federal government, a VDSS spokesperson confirmed to VPM News Friday.” Names, dates of birth, social security numbers, addresses and other data were requested in May by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in response to an executive order from President Donald Trump. [VPM News]

Reston Man Sentenced on Child Porn Charges — “A 52-year-old Virginia man was sentenced in federal court on Friday to 188 months in prison on child pornography charges, according to court records.” The man pleaded guilty in April to possessing hundreds of videos and images that were found on his phone by police, who arrested him at Dulles International Airport last year. [Patch]

Amtrak Hits Record Ridership — “Amtrak Virginia’s ridership numbers continue to show increases, according to the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority. Ending fiscal year 2025, more than 1.4 million passengers traveled on state supported rail service — an increase of 4.8% compared to the same time last year.” [Virginia Mercury]

Inova to Add Hospice Care — “Falls Church’s Inova Health System has teamed up with a Baltimore-area hospice and palliative care provider to bring its end-of-life services into Northern Virginia.” Expected to begin in early 2026, the new service from Gilchrist Hospice Care will be available to patients in Inova’s hospitals and senior living facilities as well as their own homes, addressing “an unmet need” in a region where 18% of the population is older than 60. [Washington Business Journal]

Cheese Shop Coming to Falls Church — “Contractors are currently building the storefront for The Cheese Cartel at 922 W. Broad Street, founder Alyssa Romashko told ARLnow. The new small business plans to carry a rotating selection of meats, cheeses, wines and bread.” [ARLnow]

Vienna Baker Frosts Cupcake Delights — “Adam Wald, a Giant associate for eight years, has captured the hearts of the Vienna community with his elaborate pull-apart cupcake creations. Wald transforms simple treats into dinosaurs, dragons, unicorns, and firetrucks. What started as a small creative experiment during the pandemic has grown into a full-blown bakery sensation.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Tuesday — Expect patchy fog to clear by 8am, making way for partly sunny skies and a high near 91. A calm wind will pick up from the south around 6 mph in the afternoon. As for Tuesday night, it’ll be partly cloudy with a low of 74, and the south wind will continue at around 6 mph. [NWS]

Free Advice on Fighting Mosquitoes — “In Fairfax County, Virginia, the health department is working to ‘fight the bite’ of mosquitoes by visiting residents’ homes and providing advice on how to reduce the pests. Through Fairfax County’s free inspection program, Andy Lima visits homes and scours the property for mosquito havens.” [NBC4]

Man Dies After Jumping From High-Rise — “A man died Friday morning after jumping from a 15th-floor balcony while FBI agents were attempting to serve a criminal arrest warrant at the Alexander Apartments on King Street.” A neighbor told NBC4 that he “woke to the sound of banging” and shouts of “FBI” before hearing someone running and shouting “No! Don’t!” [ALXnow]

Clifton House Fire Extinguished — Fairfax County firefighters responded Saturday (Aug. 9) to “a house fire in the 13000 blk of Sturno Drive in the Clifton area of Fairfax County. Units arrived with fire showing from a rear deck attached to the home. Crews were able quickly extinguish the fire preventing any extension to the home. No firefighter or civilian injuries.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Dollar Tree Opening New Fairfax Store — “The new Dollar Tree store coming to the Shops at Fairfax/Boulevard Center is hiring sales associates and has hung a ‘Grand Opening’ sign … Located at 10700 Fairfax Blvd., the new Dollar Tree will be located adjacent to Panera Bread in the storefront formerly occupied by Party City.” [Patch]

Potomac River Water Supply Doing Well — “Above average rainfall in the area in May, June and July is contributing to the positive outlook and resulted in the drought watch for our area being dropped in late June, after being in place for more than a year … The seasonal outlook calls for a continued likelihood of above-normal rainfall.” [WTOP]

Metrobus Riders Weigh in on Changes — “The 51st heard about how it’s going from more than 30 bus riders who shared their experiences with the new system. The verdict? Well, it’s mixed. While some commuters say they’ve benefited from new connections and more frequent service, others say the overhaul has involved more confusion than clarity.” [The 51st]

Annandale Bowling Alley to Rebrand — “The Bowlero bowling alley in Annandale will soon be renamed Lucky Strike. The change follows the move by the Bowlero Corp. last December to rebrand as Lucky Strike Entertainment, reflecting its expanded mission to offer more than traditional bowling.” [Annandale Today]

Police Academy Welcomes New Recruits — On Friday (Aug. 8), “Assistant Chief Eli Cory welcomed 51 recruits at the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy, marking the start of their 25-week basic training and the initiation of their careers in law enforcement … Session 90 includes a diverse group of recruits and is comprised of individuals from all walks of life.” [FCPD]

It’s Monday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures peaking at around 88°F, accompanied by calm winds that will gradually shift to the southeast at around 6 mph in the afternoon. Towards Monday night, the sky will remain predominantly clear with lows settling at roughly 71°F and south winds blowing at a gentle 3 to 7 mph. [NWS]

FCPS Says Bodyguard Needed After Threats — “Brian Lambert, the school division’s chief of security, said in an interview that he had been pushing for more security for Reid for months. She initially resisted efforts to institute a security detail, Lambert said, but the threats made against her, political tensions and recent targeted violence across the country helped make the case.” [Washington Post]

Secretive Investor Group Looks for Va. Venue — “Dialog — a secretive, invite-only network founded two decades ago by Peter Thiel and Auren Hoffman, the star investors and entrepreneurs — is preparing a major expansion, including a real estate purchase to build a campus in the D.C. suburbs, a tipster familiar with the group’s plans tells Axios.” The tipster says Dialog is “in active discussions to buy a physical venue in Virginia … as a permanent hub for its off-the-record meetings.” [Axios]

Report Predicts More N. Va. Power Outages — “The Northern Virginia area could face more than 430 hours of power outages per year by 2030 as the power grid struggles to keep up with the growth of AI and data centers, a report from the Department of Energy says. That’s a significant increase from the current rate of 2.4 hours per year.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Parkour Gym Open in Reston — “When Urban Evolution announced it was closing down and Wotowie was about to retire from the federal government, he decided to take the leap and open his own parkour facility in Reston. MindShift Gym, located at 11501 Sunset Hills Road in Reston, specializes in teaching parkour, acrobatics, and aerial silks.” [Patch]

Mars Invests in Gene-Editing Tech — “McLean, Virginia-based Mars Inc., the world’s largest candy maker, is investing in gene-editing technology to make cacao plants less vulnerable to disease and changes in climate patterns that have pushed prices to near record highs. Mars has licensed gene editing tools for cacao research and development with biotech company Pairwise.” [WTOP]

WaPo Exodus Continues — “The exodus of staff began as a trickle early this year and grew to a steady flow last week as the paper’s beleaguered staff approached their July 31 deadline for making final decisions on the buyout offer. Current and former Post journalists feel conflicted about what this moment represents — a bittersweet group retirement party that gives younger reporters an opportunity for growth, or an exodus that hollows out the heart of the paper and leaves it directionless.” [Washingtonian]

Why Annandale HS Has a Bomb Shelter — “Annandale High School has a secret underground chamber that stems from its establishment in 1954, the height of the Cold War. That history lives on in the school’s nuclear age iconography, like its mascot, the Atoms, red and white colors, and newspaper, the A-Blast. Annandale also has a lesser-known feature from that era – a bomb shelter, offering a safe space during a nuclear attack.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny skies with temperatures reaching about 83°F, accompanied by a gentle northeast breeze at 6 to 8 mph. As night falls, the skies will remain mostly clear, with the temperature dropping to around 64°F and an east wind blowing at 3 to 7 mph. [NWS]

Canada Wildfire Smoke in D.C. Area — “A thin veil of smoke from wildfires burning in Canada is worsening air quality and putting a lid on temperatures in the D.C. area. The smoke, which has resulted in some of the world’s worst air quality in the Upper Midwest and Northeast, is wafting through the Mid-Atlantic only in limited quantities, but it’s enough to have a small impact.” [Capital Weather Gang]

Algae Spotted at Lake Accotink — “The blue-green algae bloom has been identified at Lake Accotink Park. While these blooms are seasonally normal and typically clear on their own with the rains, higher concentrations can certain blue-green algae produce toxins that pose serious health risks to people and animals.” The park authority is working with the Virginia Department of Health to monitor the bloom, but for now, it advises avoiding contact with the water. [FCPA/Instagram]

FCPS Seeks Superintendent Bodyguard — “Fairfax County Public Schools is planning to hire a bodyguard for Superintendent Michelle Reid, a move the Virginia school district said is necessary to bolster security in response to recent ‘highly publicized tragic events around the country.'” An unnamed source told WTOP that “Reid has received credible threats,” though the job posting has drawn criticism after FCPS had to reduce promised staff pay raises. [WTOP]

Local Restaurant Owners Share Concerns — “A growing number of restaurant and hospitality business owners across Northern Virginia say a combination of rising costs, worker shortages and economic uncertainty is threatening their ability to stay afloat.” They voiced their concerns to Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine during a roundtable on Tuesday (Aug. 5) at Glory Days Grill in Burke. [FOX5]

Dems Suggest Redistricting Change Needed — “Virginia Democrats in leadership are open to the idea of redoing the Commonwealth’s redistricting process. The idea comes after pushes from President Donald Trump and Democratic legislative groups across the country for pre-midterm redraws to benefit their respective parties in 2026.” [WVTF]

How N. Va. Hospitals Are Using AI — “In U.S. hospital systems, AI is particularly revolutionary, with some enlisting the technology to help lighten administrative burdens and improve diagnostic accuracy. Here’s what some Northern Virginia health care professionals have to say about the ways they’re using AI now — and where they might use it in the future.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Arts Organizations Secure Grant Funding — ArtsFairfax has awarded 56 operating support grants totaling nearly $600,000 to dozens of arts organizations based in Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church for fiscal year 2026. “Despite funding uncertainty at the federal level, the County sustained its allocation of approximately $1.5M for the arts … allowing ArtsFairfax to continue support of the local arts sector as planned.” [ArtsFairfax]

Lobster Truck Coming to Chantilly — Virginia’s Cousins Maine Lobster truck will bring its lobster rolls and other seafood specialties to the Preserve at Westfields community (4950 Westcroft Blvd) in Chantilly today (Thursday). The truck will operate from 4-8 p.m. Future local stops will include the Lowe’s home improvement store at Beacon Center in Groveton from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. next Tuesday (Aug. 12). [Cousins Maine Lobster/Facebook]

It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies, reaching a high of around 82 degrees, accompanied by an east wind blowing at approximately 10 mph. The wind may pick up, gusting as high as 22 mph. As the night sets in, it will be mostly clear with temperatures dropping to about 65 degrees. The east wind will slow down to around 5 to 8 mph. [NWS]