Author: FFXnow.com

Cherry Blossoms Boost Metro Ridership — Metro says Friday, Saturday and Sunday (March 28-30) were its busiest days since 2020, with 28 stations setting post-2020 single-day ridership records. Demand was fueled by the Tidal Basin cherry blossoms hitting peak bloom, a busy day at the National Zoo and opening weekend games for the Washington Nationals. [WMATA/Bluesky]

Dulles Airport Highway Reduced to One Lane — “Starting [Monday, March 31], traffic will be restricted to one lane in both directions on the Dulles Airport Access Highway between Hunter Mill Road and Beulah Road around the clock for paving work. Allow additional time for merging.” [Dulles Airport/X]

Federal Layoffs Could Affect Child Care Centers — Despite mandating that federal employees return to the office, the Trump administration has eliminated an office that oversees dozens of child-care centers housed in federal buildings “leaving them vulnerable to a drop in quality, higher costs or outright closure, former employees said.” [Washington Post]

DCA Worker Charged With Assault — “A Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport employee was arrested for an air traffic control tower fight, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA).” The air traffic controller was put on leave Saturday (March 29) following the incident on Thursday night (March 27), an FAA spokesperson said. [WJLA]

Va. Schools Under Scrutiny Based on ‘Parental Rights’ Laws — “The U.S. Department of Education is putting Virginia schools on notice, warning they could lose federal funding and face further investigation if they fail to comply with parental rights laws.” The move appears to stem from debates over whether schools should be required to disclose a student’s gender transition to parents. [Virginia Mercury]

Temporary Art Galleries to Pop Up Around Annandale — “‘Art in Daily Spaces,’ an exhibition of 21 local artists in a variety of media, opens to the public April 5 in six locations across Annandale. The exhibition, now in its second year, was organized by Community Art for Everyone (CAFE) and sponsored by ArtsFairfax.” [Annandale Today]

Meet Teacher Behind Reston Community Newsletter — Herndon High School English and journalism teacher Dawn Stuvland Crosson started the Reston Letter in early 2023 after seeing “a lapse in local reporting in her community … The free, local, monthly printed newspaper is mailed to more than 23,000 Reston residents.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Oakton Teen Advocates for Rare Disease Research — “Isolation was becoming a problem in 2020 when the world was beginning to learn about COVID-19. The feeling of being alone become much more severe when Khartik Uppalapati was diagnosed with two rare diseases.” The experience inspired the Oakton High School student to co-found the nonprofit advocacy group RareGen. [WTOP]

It’s Tuesday — Expect sunshine and a high temperature near 59 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind ranging from 11 to 16 mph and gusts up to 25 mph. As the night progresses, there will be increasing clouds and the temperature will drop to around 43 degrees, with an east wind blowing at a speed of 3 to 7 mph. [NWS]

Ash Seen Falling in Fairfax — “Ash [was] falling on parts of Arlington and Fairfax County due to a ‘very large controlled burn’ nearby … Fairfax County Fire and Rescue said on social media around 5:30 p.m. [Sunday, March 30] that it’s due to an intentional brush fire to the south” at Quantico Marine Corps Base. [ARLnow]

Police Chief Comments on Immigration Enforcement — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced he wanted to tie state funding to cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. He said that would, in particular, impact Fairfax County. [Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin] Davis admitted he wasn’t aware of the governor’s comments, but that his department had its hands full enforcing state and local laws, and was content to let federal agencies handle federal laws.” [WTOP]

Fairfax City Music Venue to Close — “Fairfax City’s Earp’s Ordinary announced on social media [last Wednesday, March 26 that] it was closing its doors after 15 months. The 10,000-square-foot restaurant/bar/music venue will pack up its guitars and amplifiers for the last time on Sunday, April 13.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Two-Alarm House Fire in Springfield — “Earlier [Sunday], around 3:30pm, #FairfaxsBravest responded to reports of a house fire in the 7900 block of Hill Stream Court in Springfield. Units arrived to heavy fire and smoke coming from the home and fire rapidly spreading … All occupants safely evacuated. No firefighter or civilian injuries.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

FCPS to Pilot Later Middle School Start Times — “The Fairfax County School Board directed the superintendent to develop a pilot program for later start times at Mason District middle schools … The motion says the plan should minimize start time changes for the high school pyramids that serve those middle schools. It calls for Superintendent Michelle Reid to report back to the school board by April 10.” [Annandale Today]

Upgrades in the Works for Rec Centers — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is undertaking significant revitalization projects at Oakmont and Franconia Rec Centers to enhance pool air quality for swimmers and spectators.” Work at Oakmont is underway and expected to finish in April, while the Franconia renovations are set to begin in mid-April and continue into early May. [FCPA]

GMU Men’s Basketball Coach’s Contract Extended — George Mason University announced has extended its contract for Tony Skinn, the head coach of its men’s basketball team, through the 2029-2030 season. Skinn was named the 2024-25 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year after leading the Patriots to their best-ever season in the Atlantic 10 conference and a school record-tying 27 overall wins. [GMU]

Local Little League Kicks Off 60th Anniversary Season — “Little League Opening Day today at Fort Hunt and [Woodlawn]. Woodlawn LL celebrating its 60th anniversary! Lots of happy kids ready to get outside and experience some teamwork and community activity!” [Scott Surovell/Bluesky]

It’s Monday — Expect isolated showers to develop into afternoon thunderstorms with a high near 79. Rainfall amounts may reach up to a quarter of an inch. Thunderstorms continue before 8pm, followed by potential showers until 2am; low near 45. Chance of precipitation remains high, with up to three-quarters of an inch of rain possible. [NWS]

Partial Solar Eclipse May Be Visible — NASA says a rare partial solar eclipse will be visible in parts of North America early tomorrow (Saturday) morning. “The eclipse will be visible from the Washington, D.C., area up to Maine and parts of Canada and across the Atlantic Ocean to portions of Africa and Europe, according to a map from NASA.” [NPR]

New Details on Potential Federal Worker Cuts — “Federal officials are preparing for agencies to cut between 8 and 50 percent of their employees as part of a Trump administration push to shrink the federal government, according to an internal White House document.” Sources said “planning remains fluid,” but the draft included reductions at the IRS, Interior Department and more. [Washington Post]

Alleged East Coast Gang Leader Arrested — “The alleged leader of the violent MS-13 street gang on the East Coast has been arrested in Virginia, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday.” The 24-year-old man from El Salvador was taken into custody in Manassas on an outstanding ICE warrant and charged with illegal gun possession. [Associated Press]

Va. Could Limit Speeds of Reckless Drivers — “Virginia is poised to become the first state to implement a high-tech speed-limiting device in the vehicles of convicted reckless drivers. HB2096, which Gov. Glenn Youngkin returned to the House with an amendment, would establish the Intelligent Speed Assistance Program.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Local Students Head to International Art Contest — The U.S. will be represented in this year’s International Aviation Art Competition in Switzerland by three Fairfax County students: Andrew Yang of Great Falls, Aspen Xing of Vienna and Lalitha Kuchipudi of Chantilly. They were chosen from 140 participants in the national contest, which followed a state competition also dominated by local residents. [Virginia Department of Aviation]

Student Concerned by Potential Loss of After-School Activities — “Poe Middle School student Diego Egas said he takes part in the after-school program from Monday through Friday.” With Fairfax County proposing to eliminate funding for the middle school program in its budget, Diego shared his concerns at a virtual town hall hosted on Wednesday (March 26) for the Mason District. [WJLA]

Vienna Library Gets Farewell Celebration — “Patrick Henry Library will hold a community farewell event Saturday ahead of construction. The library, which has been around for 54 years, is expected to close in late spring or early summer for the renovation and expansion project.” [Patch]

Monthly Asian Market Returns to Annandale — “The monthly Asiantique night markets are coming back to Annandale. The first one this season will be Sunday, March 30, 5-9 p.m., in the parking lot behind the Elmer Timberman Masonic Lodge at 6911 Columbia Pike. There will be about 25 food vendors offering mostly Thai specialties plus two craft vendors.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Friday — Showers are possible after 2pm, with partly sunny skies and a high near 68. There’s a 30% chance of precipitation. At night, there’s still a 30% chance of showers before 8pm, followed by partly cloudy conditions and a low around 59. [NWS]

Federal Grant Funds Pulled From Covid Programs — “The federal government is withdrawing up to $425 million in grant funding for several COVID-related programs operated by the Virginia Department of Health. The cuts have already led to ongoing layoffs and the early cancellation of existing contracts across the state.” [Virginia Public Media]

Families of DCA Crash Victims Plan to Sue — “An attorney now representing more than a half dozen families of victims of the Flight 5342 tragedy says his firm is ready to file suit against the federal government the moment a six-month review period is up.” The lawsuits from seven families will target the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Army. [WUSA9]

Bill Protecting Reproductive Health Data Signed — “Public concerns about menstrual health data privacy have flared in Virginia since the overturn of federal abortion protections and changes to state laws relating to the procedure. Gov. Glenn Youngkin has helped put some of those fears at bay by signing Senate Bill 754 by Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Fairfax.” [Virginia Mercury]

Gubernatorial Candidates on Federal Job Cuts — “In what could be a preview of public debates on the campaign trail in Virginia’s race for the governorship this year, the leading candidates from both parties spoke with WTOP about the sweeping federal job cuts being carried out by President Donald Trump’s administration — and how they might affect Virginia.” [WTOP]

Lane Closures on Route 28 Start Next Week — “Weather permitting, Route 28 (Centreville Road) will have daytime single-lane closures at the Fairfax County/Prince William County line Mondays through Thursdays from Monday, March 31 through Thursday, April 24 for repairs to the bridge over Bull Run.” [VDOT]

Indian Restaurant Chain Eyes Fairfax Location — “An Indian restaurant chain called Hyderabad House is planning its first Northern Virginia location in Fairfax County. Hyderabad House will be taking over the space vacated by the Pho Golden Express restaurant … in the Fairfax Court shopping center off Fairfax Boulevard and Waples Mill Road.” [The Burn]

Vienna Seeks Feedback on Parks Plan — “Heads up! The Town wants to hear your thoughts about the future of Vienna Parks and Recreation! Head to the community meeting [today], March 27, at 6 p.m. at Vienna Community Center and don’t forget to take the online survey.” The draft parks master plan can be found on the town’s website. [Town of Vienna/Facebook]

Reminder Not to Interfere With Wildlife — “Every spring, Fairfax County’s animal protection police and wildlife management office get lots of calls about young wildlife that appear to be orphaned or abandoned. In most cases, these baby animals are not in danger and people should leave them alone.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Thursday — The weather will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching near 60 degrees, accompanied by a west wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph and gusts reaching up to 18 mph. In the evening, expect partly cloudy skies with lows around 44 degrees and southwest winds at approximately 6 mph. [NWS]

Federal Layoffs May Be Affecting Home Sales — Turmoil in the federal workforce may have impacted last month’s home sales across Virginia, which were down 9% year-over-year to 6,129. “February’s slowdown in sales could be an early signal that there is some hesitancy in some of our regional markets due to growing concerns around federal employment,” Virginia Realtors chief economist Ryan Price said. [Virginia Realtors]

Drivers in Viral Tysons Street Race Found Guilty — “The drivers involved in a viral street race video in Fairfax County were convicted Monday of multiple charges. A traffic divisions court judge found [a 48-year-old man from Vienna and a 38-year-old man from Sterling] guilty of reckless driving and stopping on a highway.” [WUSA9]

Recreational Weed Sales Bill Vetoed — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin has again vetoed legislation that would have allowed people to buy cannabis in Virginia for recreational use. The General Assembly passed bills from Del. Paul Krizek (D–Fairfax) and state Sen. Aaron Rouse (D–Virginia Beach) … aimed to establish a regulated and taxed recreational cannabis marketplace with retail sales starting in May 2026.” [Virginia Public Media]

Fentanyl Testing Bill Named After Local Teen to Become Law — “After Absolon and Thurraya Kent of Annandale lost their 17-year-old son, Malcolm, to a drug overdose two years ago, they discovered he could have been saved if the hospital had tested him for fentanyl poisoning.” Del. Irene Shin’s bill, signed on March 21 by Youngkin, will require emergency rooms to test for fentanyl as part of urine screenings. [Annandale Today]

Falls Church Considers Tree Planting Requirements — “Falls Church officials are considering requiring future commercial developers to meet minimum tree-planting requirements. The number of projects that any change could impact might be small, however.” [ARLnow]

Herndon Names New Communications Head — “The Town of Herndon has named Brent M. Heavner as chief communications officer. Heavner replaces Anne Papa, who is retiring from the town after more than 19 years of dedicated service.” Most recently a communications lead for the U.S. Education Department, Heavner will officially join the town on April 14. [Town of Herndon]

Historic GMU Basketball Seasons Conclude — George Mason University’s female basketball team saw its first-ever March Madness experience come to a quick end on Saturday (March 22) with a 94-59 loss to Florida State. After a record 15 A-10 wins, the men’s team beat the Sanford Bulldogs last week in the National Invitational Tournament but lost to Bradley 75-67 in the second round. [GMU]

Fire Department Hands Out Smoke Alarms — “Over the weekend, #FCFRD joined multiple county partners to install 160 smoke alarms and increase the safety of 193 residents at Penn Daw Terrace … This collaborative effort improved fire safety and strengthened community resilience, ensuring residents are better protected and informed with various prevention, safety, and resource information.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high temperature of around 56 degrees. The day will be breezy as a northwest wind increases to 16 to 21 mph in the afternoon, with gusts reaching up to 36 mph. The night will be mostly clear with a low of approximately 35 degrees. [NWS]

Where to See Cherry Blossoms in D.C. Area — “D.C.’s most famous cherry trees along the Tidal Basin are approaching peak bloom, and you can see beautiful cherry blossoms throughout D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia.” Fairfax County options include Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Wolf Trap and the Van Gogh Bridge at Lake Anne in Reston. [NBC4]

Foul Play Not Suspected in Prosecutor’s Death — “Jessica D. Aber, the former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia who died at age 43, had long suffered from a serious medical condition, and police have told those close to her that they do not suspect foul play, two family friends told The Washington Post.” [Washington Post]

Youngkin Vetoes Minimum Wage, Gun Bills — “Monday was Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s deadline to take action on the roughly 900 bills that Virginia’s legislature approved to send his way. Monday afternoon saw over 300 signatures and a handful of vetoes,” including of legislation that would’ve raised the state’s minimum wage and banned assault weapons in public spaces. [Virginia Mercury]

Fairfax County Hires New I.T. Director — “Matt Harrison has been appointed director of the Department of Information Technology (DIT), effective Monday, April 21. Harrison will succeed Greg Scott, who is retiring after decades of service to Fairfax County.” He most recently led the IT department at Stafford County. [Fairfax County]

Staff Move into New Seven Corners Fire Station — “The Fort Buffalo Fire Station has finally been completed. The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department posted a short video on Facebook on March 20 showing staff moving in. A grand opening is expected to be scheduled in May.” [Annandale Today]

Forthcoming Restaurant Offers Food Truck Preview — “Flavor Hive, the restaurant coming to a former Wells Fargo building in Annandale, is under construction, but it’s already ‘open.’ Flavor Hive food trucks parked on the site are attracting long lines of customers drawn by the company’s huge social media presence and its signature dish – the ‘walking taco chips bag.'” [Annandale Today]

Recently Opened Clothing Store Reports Steady Business — “Mayor Catherine Read joined local business leaders for a ribbon cutting ceremony on [March 20] to welcome the new J.Crew Factory store to Fairfax City Mall … Since its opening on Feb. 13, the J. Crew Factory store at 9650-42 Main St. has already seen a steady influx of customers, according to store director Helen Hajibadri.” [Patch]

Nearby: New State Park Could Be Established in Loudoun — “After initial efforts to have the home of President James Monroe turned into a state park hit resistance in the Senate, Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Monday morning announced he would include funding to support the park through a budget amendment.” [Loudoun Now]

It’s Tuesday — Clouds will increase throughout the day, reaching a high of around 61 degrees, accompanied by a southwest wind blowing at 7 to 11 mph. On Tuesday night, there is a 50% chance of rain before 2 am, followed by mostly cloudy conditions and a low temperature of around 41 degrees. The west wind will be around 7 mph. [NWS]