Author: FFXnow.com

Capital One Sued by Trump Family Business — “On March 7, multiple entities connected with the Trump Organization sued the McLean-based bank for terminating more than 300 Trump Organization bank accounts following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.” The complaint filed in a Florida circuit court alleges that the account closures were motivated by politics, an argument that Capital One denies. [Virginia Business]

Herndon ‘Tunnel Girl’ Permitted to Keep Digging — “Kala the Science Girl, also affectionately known as Tunnel Girl, is digging back in after receiving a permit to continue her intricate tunnel work under her Northern Virginia home … She amassed more than half a million followers on TikTok, where she documented the process of digging.” [WUSA9]

Limits on Helicopter Flights at DCA Recommended — Following the mid-air collision on Jan. 29 that killed 67 people, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended yesterday that helicopter operations be permanently prohibited “on Route 4 between Hains Point and Wilson Bridge when runways 15 and 33 are in use at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.” [ALXnow]

Job Market Likely Can’t Handle Federal Layoffs — “The Washington region may not have enough white-collar jobs to absorb the federal workers being laid off by the Trump administration, according to data from Indeed … While overall job postings in the U.S. are up compared with pre-pandemic numbers, they were down 13.8% in the DMV as of Feb. 28, per Indeed.” [Axios DC]

Rural Areas Seek to Lure Data Centers From N. Va. — Wythe County “and some other rural Virginia communities are looking to bring data centers to their parts of the state as industry hubs in Northern Virginia and suburban Richmond sour on the industry worth billions in local and state funds.” [Virginia Public Media]

Community Center Opens in Annandale Apartments — “Located in a former apartment, the FACETS Cares Community Development Center will offer after-school tutoring, access to technology and professional development resources, and connections to vital resources for low-income families. It will enhance community safety by building positive relationships with the police.” [Annandale Today]

Reston Startup Raises $2 Million — “Reston startup Tiga AI has raised $2 million to get its tools for business-to-business sales professionals to more customers … Tiga’s products act as digital assistants for sales professionals. These tools can conduct tasks automatically like drafting emails or LinkedIn pitches to customers based on analyzing internal datasets like client notes or prior purchasing behaviors.” [Washington Business Journal]

Burke Nursery Joins Discounted Tree Program — “The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is expanding its Throwing Shade VA program. Through the program, DOF partners with nurseries to offer a $25 discount on eligible native trees and shrubs valued at $50 or more. The offer is available through May 1 while supplies last at 15 participating nurseries,” including Burke Nursery and Garden Centre. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high temperature around 61 degrees. The north wind will blow at 6-8 mph, eventually shifting to the east in the afternoon. As the night progresses, clouds will increase, and the low temperature will be around 44 degrees with an east wind ranging from 3-8 mph. [NWS]

Workers Fired at D.C. Area National Parks — “More than 750 national park workers have been fired amid the Trump administration’s purge of federal employees, per an unofficial tally … Nearly 40 employees were fired from the National Capital Region, which encompasses 15 designated parklands, including Great Falls.” [Axios DC]

Man Charged with Indecent Exposure in Centreville — Police have arrested a 20-year-old man from Maryland who allegedly exposed himself in front of a woman. “On February 26, the victim reported that she was walking near Route 28 and Machen Drive in Centreville when she was approached by a man in a car who exposed himself.” [FCPD]

WaPo Columnist Resigns Over Op-Ed Changes — “A top political columnist for The Washington Post resigned today, accusing Post chief executive and publisher Will Lewis of killing her column that criticized owner Jeff Bezos’s drive to overhaul the opinion pages to focus on his libertarian priorities.” [NPR]

Parent Concerned by Potential FCPS Start Time Changes — “As Fairfax County Public Schools weighs options for how to start middle schools later in the morning, some parents in the Northern Virginia school district are concerned about the impact such a change would have on their kids’ routines.” [WTOP]

Middle Eastern Eatery Opens in Seven Corners — “Hamza & Madina Halal Food is now open in the Seven Corners Center. The eatery offers $10.99 platters featuring chicken, lamb, fish, kofta, or falafel over rice or salad.” [Annandale Today]

Bills Would Bolster Tree Canopy Preservation — Two General Assembly bills currently awaiting Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s signature would give all localities statewide the option to increase their tree canopy preservation requirements and create funds for planting and maintaining trees. Right now, only a select few localities in Northern Virginia, including Fairfax County, have those authorities. [Virginia Mercury]

General Assembly Passes Invasive Plants Bill — “Del. Holly Seibold, D-Fairfax, introduced House Bill 1941 and Sen. Saddam Salim, D-Fairfax, introduced Senate Bill 1166. The bills, which passed with bipartisan support, require stores to post signage to educate shoppers on invasive species and encourage native plants as an alternative.” Previous versions of the bills that included fines were vetoed last year by Youngkin. [VCU Capital News Service/Virginia Mercury]

New Art Studio in Vienna Welcomes Beginners — “You can’t miss the entrance to iCreate. The eccentric new art studio in Vienna caters to nonartists, with an array of beginner-friendly creative classes — including an option to aim BB guns and throw water balloons filled with nontoxic paint at your canvas.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Tuesday — Expect sunshine and a high of around 72 degrees, with calm winds shifting to the south at around 6 mph in the afternoon. As for Tuesday night, it will be mostly clear with a low of approximately 44 degrees. South winds at 5 to 7 mph will transition to northwest after midnight. [NWS]

State Department Worker Charged in Espionage Case — “A U.S. Department of State employee from Alexandria is facing federal charges for allegedly participating in a criminal conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information.” The 42-year-old man is accused of sharing classified information with people he met online “in exchange for payments.” [ALXnow]

Metro Axes Diversity and Sustainability Offices — “Metro is eliminating its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as the transit system looks to secure federal funding from the Trump administration … Metro’s Office of Sustainability will also be eliminated. Department head Rachel Healy will assume a new role as the director of Energy and Environment.” [WTOP]

GW Parkway Ramp to Close for Tree Clearing — “On Tuesday, March 11, the ramp from George Washington Memorial Parkway to northbound I-495 will be closed between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. The ramp closure will allow crews to conduct tree clearing as part of the I-495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT) project.” [VDOT]

GMU Women’s Basketball Team Makes NCAA Tournament — “The George Mason women’s basketball team is going to the NCAA tournament for the first time in the school’s history after beating St. Joseph’s 73-58 Sunday to claim the Atlantic-10 Conference tournament title. The Patriots’ program has existed for 51 years and this is the team’s first-ever appearance in the upcoming NCAA tournament.” [WTOP]

Man Sentenced to Jail for Grocery Store Thefts — “A 33-year-old D.C. man was sentenced last month to eight months in prison for committing a string of petit larcenies at grocery stores in Alexandria and Fairfax County.The man was arrested on January 28 for four outstanding warrants in Alexandria [and] nine outstanding warrants in Fairfax County.” [ALXnow]

Park Authority Launches Needs Study — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is launching the Parks Count! 2026 Parks Needs Assessment to evaluate park and recreation needs across the county. We want to hear from you! Your feedback will help guide improvements to amenities, facilities and programs for the next five years.” [FCPA]

Centreville Restaurant Still a Draw After a Decade — “At a restaurant that’s already successful, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. But introducing a cheese wheel, well, that couldn’t hurt. That’s what Antonino Di Nicola, executive chef and partner at Ciao Osteria, was thinking at the start of 2020 when he began serving fettuccine with lobster out of a wheel of Parmesan.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Photo Show Coming to Vienna — “Amateur photographers from across the region are invited to put their talent and photography skills on full display in the 2025 Vienna Photo Show. The show and contest are set to take place Saturday and Sunday, March 15-16, at the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St., SE, Vienna, Virginia.” [Town of Vienna]

It’s Monday — Expect a sunny day with a high temperature around 65 accompanied by a light southwest breeze. As the night progresses, it will be mostly clear with temperatures dropping to around 40, along with mild and fluctuating winds. [NWS]

CIA and Other Intelligence Agencies Ramp Up Layoffs — “The CIA also has started to dismiss some probationary workers, a spokeswoman said. About 80 people have been let go, said one former officer, who like other current and former officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they feared reprisals for speaking out or because they work in sensitive jobs.” [Washington Post]

Childcare Center Planned for Hybla Valley — “A new early learning center for 86 children up to age 5 has been funded by Fairfax County with $10 million in 2024 carryover funds and is tentatively slated to open in winter 2028 at the Hybla Valley Community Center … Additional carryover funding of $500,000 was designated for a feasibility study of other possible childcare sites in the county.” [On the MoVe]

GMU Baseball Team Breaks Scoring Record — “The George Mason University baseball team scored 23 runs in an inning against Holy Cross on Tuesday to break an NCAA Division I record that has stood for 42 years. The Patriots (8-4) sent 28 batters to the plate in the second inning of a 26-6 victory against the visiting Crusaders (5-5) in Fairfax, Virginia.” [ESPN]

County Offers Funding to Local Startups — “Fairfax County announced the next application round for the Fairfax Founders Fund (FFF), a program designed to fuel innovation and business growth, will be open from March 17 through April 21, 2025. FFF provides selected early-stage startups with up to $50,000 in funding capital.” [Department of Economic Initiatives]

School Prom Dress Shop Opens Today — “Prom season has officially begun. Students from Centreville High School and the Fair Oaks Classroom on the Mall program will open their annual Prom Dress Shop, which aims to help economically challenged students celebrate in style, on Friday, March 7.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]

Bill Would Allow Localities to Require Solar Over Parking Lots — “There is, though, another way, one that could indeed turn parts of Northern Virginia (and other developed areas) into utility-scale solar projects without giving up farmland or rural viewsheds. That way was what was over Bulova’s head that summer day in Las Vegas: solar panels over top of parking lots.” [Cardinal News]

Man Gives 700th Blood Donation to Inova — “Richard Martin started donating whole blood with the Red Cross and then switched to Inova when he was asked to consider a different type of donation in 1982 … On Wednesday afternoon, squeezing a red, heart-shaped stress ball, Martin watched bags fill up and reflected on what would become his 700th donation.” [WTOP]

Feedback Wanted on Park Near Kingstowne — “The Fairfax County Park Authority invites the community to a public meeting to discuss the Olander and Margaret Banks Neighborhood Park. The meeting will take place on Thursday, March 20, from 1-2 p.m. at Richard Byrd Library (7250 Commerce St., Springfield).” [FCPA]

It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny skies today and a high temperature of around 57 degrees. The west wind will reach speeds of 11 to 18 mph, gusting up to 31 mph. Tonight, there is a 20% chance of showers before 1am, with mostly cloudy conditions and a low temperature near 40 degrees. [NWS]

Local Shoppers Worry About Tariffs — “With tariffs of 25% now in place on goods from both Canada and Mexico, shoppers at a D.C.-area grocery store are voicing concern that it will affect them at the checkout.” One shopper at Trader Joe’s in Idylwood says she’s worried about the impact of more expensive groceries on “people that are lower class and even the middle class.” [WTOP]

Virginia License Plates Proliferate in Maryland — “All those Virginia license plates on Baltimore’s streets cost Maryland millions of dollars, but the state has little authority to do anything about it, according to a recent Motor Vehicle Administration report sent to Gov. Wes Moore’s office.” [Baltimore Banner]

Ethiopian Market Opens in Annandale — “Annandale has a new shop specializing in products imported from Ethiopia. Lidya Market & Café opened in late February at 4544-A John Marr Drive. The store offers pantry items, such as berbere, a mixture of ground chili peppers and spices; shiro, made from ground chickpeas; lentils; rice flour; coffee; dates; snacks; and incense.” [Annandale Today]

Springfield Sports Complex Acquires Hockey Program — “Washington Little Capitals Inc., a four-decade-old youth hockey development organization, will be acquired by Springfield sports complex The St. James.” The Little Caps needed a new home rink with its current base, the Ion International Training Center in Leesburg, closing its ice rinks in May before converting “to an events and conference center.” [Washington Business Journal]

Competitive Runner in Reston Inspires Community — “Ecris Williams has covered a lot of miles in her 86 years. Whether by racing cars or running races, the spirited senior is no worse for the wear … The longtime Reston resident turns heads and blows minds with her remarkable exercise ethic.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Art Class at Reston School Celebrates Neurodiversity — “On a Wednesday morning at South Lakes High School in Reston, Matt Ravenstahl bounces around from table to table. He offers suggestions to students working on projects that range from making masks to sketching flags from different countries.” In the “Inclusive Fine Arts” class, “students who are neurotypical work alongside those who are neurodivergent.” [WUSA9]

County Summer Camps Start Registration Soon — “Registration for NCS summer camps kicks off Tuesday, March 11, 2025. The Department of Neighborhood and Community Services offers a variety of summer camp options for youth and teens throughout Fairfax County. Register early and secure your spot for a summer of fun activities, new friendships and lasting memories!” [NCS]

McLean Framing Shop to Support Nonprofit — “Please join the McLean Chamber of Commerce, McLean Project for the Arts and Framebridge for a private shopping event to celebrate the recent grand opening of Framebridge. Bring digital photos, art, memorabilia to frame and 10 percent and all sales will benefit McLean Project for the Arts.” The promotion will be in effect from 5-8 p.m. next Thursday, March 13. [Federal Realty]

It’s Thursday — Expect partly sunny skies and a high around 49 degrees. The day will be breezy, as a west wind increases to 18 to 23 mph in the afternoon with gusts up to 46 mph. Night will be mostly clear with a low near 33 degrees. The northwest wind will blow at 11 to 18 mph, gusting as high as 34 mph. [NWS]