Author: FFXnow.com

Roof Collapses During House Fire — Yesterday morning (Wednesday), firefighters “responded to reports of a house fire in the 3100 block of Holmes Run Road in West Falls Church. Units arrived with fire engulfing the roof of a two-story single-family home … During operations, there was a partial roof collapse.” One person “was evaluated for non-life-threatening injuries.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Virginia Joins Tariffs Refund Push — “Attorney General Jay Jones is pressing Congress to force refunds on billions of dollars in tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump, arguing the federal government must quickly repay businesses and consumers after the nation’s highest court struck down the policy.” [Virginia Mercury]

Grad Students Left Out of College Labor Bill — “Service workers like janitors and security guards who work for colleges and universities will be allowed to engage in collective bargaining under a bill lawmakers are sending to the governor. But college professors and graduate students are excluded from the bill.” [WVTF]

Quirky Bills Considered by General Assembly — “Hidden among the more than 3,000 bills filed are a few gems, like ones aimed at taxing porn, studying fungi and more.” Legislation sent by lawmakers to Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger include a ban on livestreaming while driving and a bill that would require movie theaters to show a certain number of films with subtitles or open captioning. [Axios Richmond]

N. Va. Getting First Women’s Sports Bar — “Women’s sports fans could soon have a bar of their own in Arlington. Sarah White, a longtime local restaurateur and partner at Westover Taco, is in the process of buying out of the taqueria at 5849 Washington Blvd.” She plans to turn the establishment into what she says will be Northern Virginia’s first sports bar to center on women’s teams. [ARLnow]

Watch for Roadwork in Fort Belvoir — “The Fort Belvoir community should plan to avoid the intersection of Stonewall Jackson and Gorgas Road from March 23-24 due to construction. Crews will be using heavy equipment to repave the lane divider. The area will be an active construction site with road closures and is off-limits for safety reasons.” [Fort Belvoir/X]

Walkway Proposed on Idylwood Road — “The Fairfax County Department of Public Transportation (FCDOT) will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 7 p.m., to gather public input” on a project to add an asphalt walkway along Idylwood Road from Idylwood Court to Hillside Drive. “Additional feedback will be accepted via an online survey available after the meeting through April 2.” [FCDOT]

When GMU Men’s Basketball Made Final Four — “Twenty years ago, George Mason University’s men’s basketball team defied odds, toppled giants, and created a legacy that continues to reverberate in the college sports world.” After entering the NCAA tournament in 2006 in the at-large No. 11 seed, the Patriots “emerged as the longest-shot ever to reach the vaunted Final Four.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 55 degrees and a gentle south wind at 5 to 7 mph. Thursday night will be partly cloudy with temperatures dropping to around 40 degrees and a light south wind. [NWS]

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Potomac Recreational Advisory Lifted — “The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is lifting the remaining recreational water advisory for the Potomac River from the American Legion Memorial Bridge (I-495) to the Route 120 Chain Bridge.” The department will “continue to monitor sampling data as available,” with efforts to clean up the Jan. 19 sewage spill in Maryland continuing. [VDH]

Women Killed in Domestic Stabbings Mourned — “The Nepalese community gathered Tuesday to honor two women killed in a gruesome domestic attack, while also offering prayers for the man accused of the slayings. The memorial service, held weeks after a violent stabbing rocked a Mantua apartment complex, focused on the lives of Mamta Thapa and her mother, Binda Thapa.” [WUSA9]

Input Wanted on GW Parkway Trees — “The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public input on big-picture plans for GW Parkway’s vistas and foliage — a topic that has previously sparked significant controversy. A virtual public meeting on ‘long-term care of historic scenic views’ will be held at 6 p.m. today (Wednesday), and comments are being accepted online. [ARLnow]

Study Considers Congestion Pricing in D.C. — “A D.C.-backed study of how congestion pricing might work in the city is now public, following years of wrangling. With that drama in the rearview mirror, policymakers can start to confront thornier questions about whether the policy is the right fit for D.C.,” though even the most supportive current elected officials don’t expect to start charging commuters any time soon. [WAMU]

Housing Bills Sent to Governor — Though the General Assembly nixed a few more radical bills, “many housing proposals are on their way to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk — some of which she has already stated she will sign into law. The bills represented a flurry of efforts to address housing issues including affordability, supply, renter protections, and state input on local zoning decisions.” [Virginia Mercury]

Belle Haven Office Building for Sale — “The 97,581-square-foot, eight-story office at 5845 Richmond Highway, currently branded as the Belle Haven Professional Center, is 56% leased to a mix of medical and professional tenants, according to marketing materials.” A floodplain and resource protection area limit potential redevelopment options, so the site is instead being pitched to businesses that would be interested in occupying it. [Washington Business Journal]

New Florida Flight Planned at Dulles — “Frontier Airlines Inc. is adding another route out of Dulles International Airport with plans to launch nonstop flights to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this spring. The daily flights to Fort Lauderdale, its ninth nonstop destination linking to Dulles, will begin on May 21 via an Airbus A320 aircraft.” [WBJ]

Vienna Photo Show Winners Named — “Amateur photographers from across the region showcased their talent in the 2026 Vienna Photo Show, displaying a collection of unique, award-winning photos at the Vienna Community Center March 14-15, 2026 … This year’s event featured 156 entries from 60 photographers and 171 attendees.” [Town of Vienna]

New Legal Notice — Restaurant seeks ABC wine, beer, mixed-beverage on/off-premises license. [Public Notices]

It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny weather with a high near 42 degrees and light, variable winds shifting to the south at 6 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday night will be partly cloudy with a low of around 31 degrees and a southeast wind at about 5 mph. [NWS]

There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.

Fairfax HS Student Accused of Groping — “An adult Fairfax High School student has been charged with nine counts of assault and battery amid accusations that he was groping girls in the halls during school … About a dozen girls have come forward to report that Ortiz put his hands in between their legs, grabbed their private parts in the front, and moved his hands to their butts while in the school’s hallways.” [WJLA]

Man Charged With Peeping in Reston — A 35-year-old Reston man was arrested last Friday (March 13) after a resident of the Waterside at Reston Apartments “reported seeing an unknown man peering through her bedroom window from outside.” Fairfax County police say their drone program helped quickly locate the suspect, who was seen “peeping through other windows.” The man was charged with three counts of peeping before being released from custody on a personal recognizance bond. [FCPD]

Kennedy Center Board Approves Shutdown — “The Kennedy Center’s board of directors voted on Monday to shut down operations for two years following this summer’s July 4 celebrations. The widely expected decision comes in the wake of numerous resignations and cancellations during President Donald Trump’s second term, although Trump himself has cited the need for repairs as a reason for the closure.” [Associated Press/WTOP]

Bills Restricting ICE Head to Governor — “Bills that advocates said would bring accountability, oversight and transparency to how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operates in Virginia cleared the General Assembly as the 2026 session wrapped on Saturday, March 14.” Gov. Abigail Spanberger has until 11:59 p.m. on April 13 to sign, veto or amend the legislation. [WRIC]

State Lawmakers Face Study Overload — “The Virginia government is sponsoring around 200 interim studies and commissions created through various actions by the state legislature and governor’s office, and that number is expected to grow with pending legislation. But several lawmakers are now saying there are too many of these initiatives.” [Virginia Mercury]

Tree Fell on Car Along Mount Vernon Highway — “A Fairfax woman is raising safety concerns after she says a tree fell on her car while she was driving along Mount Vernon Memorial Highway … The incident happened just one day after a falling tree killed a driver on the nearby George Washington Memorial Parkway Thursday morning.” [WUSA9]

Volunteers Help Furnish Family’s New Home — Bailey’s Crossroads “Rotary Club members worked on March 10 to furnish and decorate an apartment off Route 29 in Falls Church for a family of four – with two parents, a 5-year-old boy, and a baby – who had been living in a homeless shelter. The family will pay a portion of the rent, while Homestretch will cover the balance.” [Annandale Today]

Great Falls Pub Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day — “This Tuesday, March 17, The Old Brogue Irish Pub hosts its 45th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival, one of Northern Virginia’s longest-running Irish celebrations. Families, friends, and visitors from across the Washington, D.C. region will enjoy live Irish music, traditional dance, food, and drinks, including Guinness.” [Press release]

It’s Tuesday — Clouds will increase throughout the day, reaching a high temperature near 40°F with a west wind blowing at 11-13 mph and gusts up to 23 mph. At night, expect mostly clear skies with a low temperature around 27°F. [NWS]

Want more local news? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow, with the latest from across the region.

Reminder: Schools to Close Early — Fairfax County Public Schools will close three hours early today (Monday) due to potentially severe storms, including the possibility of tornadoes, in the afternoon forecast. All afterschool and evening activities on school grounds have been canceled, and morning preschool and special education classes will be dismissed around 10 a.m. [FFXnow]

Lawsuit Coming Over Chantilly Gas Explosion — “The attorney for an 83-year-old man whose home exploded in Centreville, Va., plans to file a lawsuit against Washington Gas. The explosion forced about 50 residents to evacuate from the neighborhood on Quail Pond Court. The man was injured and displaced after the blast destroyed his home.” [DC News Now]

Emergency Repairs for Potomac Sewer Complete — “D.C. Water has completed the final steps necessary to return flow to the Potomac Interceptor. D.C. Water spokesperson Sherri Lewis said the water flow was restored after a series of tests were carried out by officials early Saturday … The environmental rehabilitation work is still needed, which has begun on the C&O Canal.” [WTOP]

General Assembly Session Highlights — “Virginia lawmakers wrapped up the 2026 General Assembly session in dramatic fashion Saturday evening, adjourning their regular session without a budget deal after an unexpected dispute over data center tax breaks … overshadowed what had otherwise been a consequential session for Democrats,” who control both chambers of the legislature and all three statewide offices. [Virginia Mercury]

Retail Cannabis Bill Heads to Governor — “Virginia lawmakers passed legislation to let people 21 and over buy cannabis recreationally starting Jan. 1, 2027, moving the state closer to ending its yearslong stay in marijuana purgatory.” Gov. Abigail Spanberger is expected to sign the bill, which comes five years after Virginia decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana. [VPM News]

Southwest Airlines Leaving Dulles — “Southwest Airlines Co. said Friday it will soon stop operating service to, from or through Dulles International Airport.” The company, which currently provides flights from Dulles to Phoenix and Denver, said it will end service at Dulles and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport starting June 4 as “part of the airline’s ongoing effort ‘refine services.'” [Washington Business Journal]

Falls Church Approves E-Scooter Program — “Falls Church has formally opened its doors to e-scooters. Now it just needs to find some takers. City Council members voted 7-0 on Monday night for a one-year pilot program, hoping to entice companies to deploy up to 100 e-scooters and e-bicycles within the community’s 2.2 square miles.” [ARLnow]

Private-Sector Job Losses a Concern — “Private sector job losses linked to federal reductions and economic uncertainty are a top concern for City of Alexandria and its regional counterparts, according to a presentation” given to the City Council on March 10. “While [Brookings Institute fellow Tracy] Hadden Loh said the region is still adding private jobs in certain subsectors, others have taken a hit.” [ALXnow]

New Legal Notice — Administrative plan available; hearing May 1, 2026; comments invited. [Public Notices]

It’s Monday — Showers and thunderstorms likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 5pm. Some of the storms could be severe. Temperatures could reach a high near 72 before dropping to a low around 30 at night. Chance of precipitation is 80%. [NWS]