Author: FFXnow.com

Voter Registration Deadline Nears — Next Tuesday (May 27) is the last day to register to vote in the June 17 Democratic primary, which will determine the party’s nominees for Virginia lieutenant governor and attorney general. Starting May 28, same-day registration will be available, but new voters must cast a provisional ballot. [Fairfax County Office of Elections]

Lane Closures Lifted for Memorial Day — “The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will be suspending many highway work zones and lifting temporary lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia from noon on Friday, May 23, until noon on Tuesday, May 27. While lane closures will be lifted in most locations, motorists may encounter semi-permanent work zones that remain in place during this time.” [VDOT]

Connolly Remembered for Silver Line Role — “Congressman Gerry Connolly’s legacy in Northern Virginia includes his contribution to the Silver Line project and its lasting impact. Transportation Reporter Adam Tuss takes a look back.” [NBC4]

FCPS to Continue Early Release Days — “Fairfax County Public Schools will continue the early release schedule for elementary schools next year but will switch from Mondays to Wednesdays. During the current year, FCPS launched a pilot program in which elementary students were dismissed three hours early on select Mondays” to give teachers more planning and training time. [Annandale Today]

Tysons Office Building for Sale — Morning Calm Management is marketing the seven-story building at 1945 Old Gallows Road for sale. The office building was 55% leased when the Florida-based investment firm acquired it in 2019, but after a $1.5 million renovation completed in 2020, it’s now 92% leased, proving particularly attractive to medical tenants. [Washington Business Journal]

Lake Accotink Park Now Hiring — “Lake Accotink Park in Springfield, Virginia, is hosting drop-in interviews every Tuesday from noon to 6 p.m., starting May 20 through June 10, 2025. Stop by the Visitor Center to explore job opportunities, complete an application and interview on the spot! No appointments are necessary!” [FCPA]

Parks Foundation Welcomes New Board Members — The Fairfax County Park Authority Board confirmed four new directors to the board of the Fairfax County Park Foundation, its fundraising arm. Ben Aiken, Paul Berry, Mark Buenavista and Alyssa Keefe will now serve on the foundation’s board through June 20, 2028. [FCPA]

It’s Friday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 67 degrees and a west wind blowing at 9 to 14 mph, gusting up to 23 mph. The night will be mostly clear with lows near 50 degrees and a west wind ranging from 6 to 11 mph. [NWS]

Condolences for Rep. Connolly Continue — “Fairfax County joins the community, the commonwealth and the nation in mourning the passing of U.S. Rep. Gerald E. ‘Gerry’ Connolly, whose career in public office began in the county, and whose legacy will continue to shape the region for generations.” [Fairfax County Government]

Plans Shared for D.C. Military Parade — “The upcoming ‘America 250’ military parade in Washington, DC, will fall on June 14 to commemorate the Army’s 250th birthday; the date is also President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday, something that surely has no significance at all. Here is the most up-to-date information on the celebration that’s bringing, among other things, lots of tanks to the city.” [Washingtonian]

New Bookstore Planned in Falls Church — “The Dark, Unbound plans to sell books by ‘underrepresented voices in the fantasy, science-fiction, speculative fiction and horror genres,’ in a cozy, moody atmosphere. It is in the works at 112 W. Broad Street, where Dominion Camera closed in September.” [ARLnow]

Bridge Repairs to Affect Metro Service — “On Saturday May 24 through Monday May 26, free shuttle buses will replace trains between Cheverly and Eastern Market on the Orange Line and Addison Road and Eastern Market on the Blue and Silver lines.” Several stations on the eastern end of all three lines “will be closed as crews make repairs to aerial structures over the Anacostia River.” [WMATA]

Design in the Works on Library Renovation — “A project to renovate the George Mason Regional Library in Annandale is in the design phase. The interior space will be rearranged, but the footprint will not change … The $15 million project was included in a library bond referendum approved by voters in 2020.” [Annandale Today]

N. Va. Opposition to Data Centers Growing — “Such community opposition is the focal point of a recent report by Data Center Watch, a research organization tracking data center opposition. A key finding: ‘$64 billion in U.S. data center projects have been blocked or delayed by a growing wave of local, bipartisan opposition.'” [Virginia Public Media]

Chantilly Student Fixes Broken-Down Car — “Elizabeth Mulenga was about 15 minutes from home on April 13 when her car started to jerk as she drove near Chantilly High School … Using the skills he learned in auto classes at Chantilly Academy, [senior Om] Desai helped Mulenga completely fix the issue on the spot.” [WTOP]

It’s Thursday — Likely showers before 2pm, with possible thunderstorms from 2-5pm. Expect mostly cloudy skies and a high near 68. The chance of precipitation is 70%. At night, there’s a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, followed by a slight chance of showers until 2am. Clouds will gradually clear, with a low around 53. [NWS]

GW Parkway Reopens After Storm — “The National Park Service (NPS) plans to reopen the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) before the Wednesday morning rush hour.” A 2.5-mile stretch of the parkway south of Alexandria had been closed since a storm on Friday (May 16) brought down or damaged more than 50 trees. [NPS]

Fairfax Man Killed in ATV Crash — “Police are investigating after a man was killed and a woman was seriously hurt in an ATV collision in Brandywine over the weekend.” Prince George’s County police say the crash on May 17 involved an ATV driver, identified as a 35-year-old man from Fairfax, crashing into a pickup truck and trailer. [DC News Now]

Metro to Roll Out Tap-to-Pay Option — Metro is currently testing a system at some stations that will allow riders to pay by tapping a credit or debit card. “An official launch is on the way, Metro general manager Randy Clarke posted recently: ‘Stay tuned for more details later this month.'” [Axios DC]

Meeting on Braddock Road Improvements — The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will share the results of a study of the “S-curve portion of Braddock Road” at 7 p.m. today (Wednesday) in a virtual public information meeting. The study looked at potential improvements between Pleasant Valley Road and Old Lee Road, and at the Braddock Road and Old Lee Road intersection. [VDOT]

Food Hall Nears Grand Opening — “Pop-Up District recently opened [at Eden Center in Falls Church] with a limited lineup that includes Vietnamese, Korean, and Thai food vendors, plus a coffee shop and bakery. When its grand opening arrives in June, expect expanded menus, a Japanese-inspired bar, rotating retail pop-ups, DJ nights, and hours stretching from 8 AM to 2 AM.” [Washingtonian]

Fairfax City Pub Celebrates 20 Years — “City of Fairfax business leaders and elected officials presented a plaque to the owners of The Auld Shebeen Irish Pub & Restaurant on Saturday, honoring their 20 years of making memories in Old Town.” [Patch]

WaPo Reviews McLean Restaurant — “Supisa Teawboot figured she’d sell a lot of pad thai when she opened Sorn Thai in McLean in March. Patrons surprised her when they ordered more kanom jeen namya instead. The entrée, rice noodles with fish curry, is … a lovely introduction to a Thai restaurant unlike any other in Northern Virginia.” [Washington Post]

It’s Wednesday — Expect showers with a high near 60°F. There’s a 100% chance of precipitation, potentially accumulating between a quarter and half an inch. At night, the low will be around 56°F, with a 70% chance of precipitation. [NWS]

Federal Cuts Constrain Food Banks — “The region’s three main food banks — Blue Ridge, the Capital Area Food Bank and the Maryland Food Bank — together lost more than 1.4 million meals with the March USDA cuts … The Trump administration additionally ended or defunded at least two other programs relied upon by food banks, including funding to purchase food directly from local farmers and to provide food for hungry seniors.” [Washington Post]

Capitals Player Allegedly Involved in Fight — “A Washington Capitals player was pepper sprayed and arrested in Clarendon early Saturday, ARLnow has learned.” Arlington County police responded to the neighborhood’s bar district around 3:26 a.m. on Saturday (May 17) after a witness “reported an active fight outside of a business.” [ARLnow]

Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioter Arrested — “Authorities in Henrico County, Virginia, arrested and charged Zachary Alam, accusing him of ‘breaking into a home in Henrico County and stealing personal items,’ WUSA9 reports. Alam, who is from Centreville, was previously sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in the riot at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.” [Washingtonian]

Criminal Records Sealing Deadline Extended — “Virginia’s General Assembly passed the record-sealing law in 2021, and now, an amended version is set to take effect July 1, 2026 … Surovell said a $20 million rebuild of Virginia’s criminal record-keeping computer infrastructure is preventing the law from taking effect immediately.” [WTOP]

State Senator Treated for Cancer — “State Sen. Barbara Favola, who represents the majority of Arlington County, is undergoing treatment for uterine cancer. In a social media post today (Monday), the 69-year-old said she successfully underwent a hysterectomy on Friday at Virginia Hospital Center.” [ARLnow]

County Supervisors Back Colleague for Congress — “Supervisor James Walkinshaw’s (D-Braddock) campaign to succeed outgoing U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11th) in Congress received the endorsement of all eight other Democrats on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Monday.” [Patch]

Taco Restaurant Still Coming to Annandale — “Over a year ago, the owner of a property in Annandale told us they were planning to open a Shawarma Taco restaurant and accounting firm by the end of 2024 in a building undergoing renovations at 4201 Annandale Road. The renovations are still underway,” but the CEO says he doesn’t know when they’ll finish. [Annandale Today]

Braddock Bark Festival Declared a Success — “Our 4th Annual Braddock Bark festival was a huge success, with over 500 attendees. 7 rescue pups were officially adopted and many more applications to adopt were submitted!” [James Walkinshaw/Bluesky]

It’s Tuesday — Expect clouds to increase throughout the day, accompanied by a high temperature of around 72 and a gentle north wind at 6 mph. At night, anticipate showers mainly after 2 am, with the low temperature dropping to approximately 56. The chance of precipitation stands at 90%. [NWS]

Fairfax Courthouse Reopens — After a two-day closure, the “Fairfax County Courthouse will reopen and resume operations, with some modifications, on Monday, May 19. Please be aware that visitors may experience delays in accessing the building or services.” The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court will still be in the Historic Courthouse at 4000 Chain Bridge Road. [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

GW Parkway Still Closed After Storm — “George Washington Parkway remains closed between Belle Haven Blvd and Alexandria Ave. This closure is expected to impact the morning rush hour. Please plan ahead to use alternate routes.” [Fairfax Alerts]

Arrest in Abduction at Fairfax Museum — “The City of Fairfax Police Department said a man has been arrested for trying to abduct a woman from the Fairfax Museum last year. On July 3, at around 4:30 p.m., officers responded to the Fairfax Museum, located at 10209 Main St., for reports of an abduction.” [DC News Now]

Missing Man Found Dead in Fairfax City — A 25-year-old man was found dead in Fairfax City early Saturday (May 17) morning, police say. The man had been reported missing on Friday (May 16) and was allegedly seen around the city near George Mason University’s campus with a knife and wounds that were believed to be self-inflicted, prompting an extensive police search. [City of Fairfax Police/X]

Reston Company Loses $2.4 Billion Federal Contract — “According to a court filing last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has terminated a $2.4 billion IT and cybersecurity contract awarded last year to Reston-based federal contractor Leidos.” Dulles-based contractor Nightwing Intelligence Solutions had filed a protest of the contract in court but requested a dismissal after learning that DHS had terminated the deal on May 8. [Virginia Business]

FBI to Leave D.C. Area, Director Says — “The FBI will leave its D.C. headquarters and relocate 1,500 employees, Director Kash Patel said in an interview that aired Friday morning. Patel said the FBI will leave the J. Edgar Hoover Building on Pennsylvania Avenue NW because of its condition.” [NBC4]

Mason District Animal Welfare Alliance Forms — “Supervisor Andres Jimenez has formed a Mason District Animal Welfare Alliance with local animal advocates to improve services for pets, wildlife, and companion animals … Activities under consideration include vaccination clinics and events with rescue groups. The alliance plans to meet monthly.” [Annandale Today]

Reston Association Launches Kayak Storage Lottery — “Based on member feedback, RA is proud to introduce a new kayak storage pilot program in its ongoing effort to expand its lake access for members. Beginning May 16, RA members will have the opportunity to enter a lottery to obtain a slot at the Association’s new kayak storage rack at Lake Audubon boat ramp.” [Reston Association]

It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and temperatures reaching 76°F, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 13 to 16 mph and gusts up to 26 mph. Monday night, the weather will be mostly clear with a low of about 52°F, and a northwest wind ranging from 7 to 11 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. [NWS]