Author: FFXnow.com

Fines for Passing School Buses Begin — “As of Monday morning, drivers who pass a school bus that’s picking-up or dropping-off students in Fairfax County, Virginia will receive a $250 citation … The county said in a statement to WTOP that last week’s violations were still being processed, but preliminary data shows the program is averaging 76 warnings per day.” [WTOP]

Driver Still Hospitalized After Lorton Crash — A woman remains hospitalized in life-threatening condition in the wake of a two-vehicle crash that occurred at Telegraph Road and Newington Road on Saturday (May 10). The other driver wasn’t injured. Detectives are continuing to investigate, the Fairfax County Police Department says. [FCPD]

Car Fire in Lorton Under Investigation — “A driver was hospitalized after a car fire in Fairfax County Monday morning, and firefighters are still working to learn how it happened.” Crews that responded to the 9800 block of Old Colchester Road around 10:45 a.m “found a car ablaze, and a person outside the car was also on fire.” [WUSA9]

Report Forecasts Va. Economic Downturn — “One in seven jobs in Virginia is directly or indirectly linked to the federal government. Cuts to the federal workforce and government spending will mean a significant hit to Virginia’s economy this year, according a new economic forecast.” [WTOP]

New Seven Corners Fire Station Celebrated — “On Saturday, #FCFRD hosted a Grand Opening for our newest station – Fire Station 28, Fort Buffalo. The ceremony recognized all those whose hard work made the station a reality, highlighted the history and Civil War connection of FS28, and honored the vital work our firefighter do everyday to serve the FS28 community.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Springfield School Educates Female Refugees — “Hundreds of Afghan and Ukrainian women and girls across the world are getting an education and are on the path to a better life thanks to the Eagle Online Academy. The Springfield-based school offers English language classes and skills training in such areas as cybersecurity, software development” and more. [Annandale Today]

Leadership Change at Fort Belvoir — “Fort Belvoir’s Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Hopkins passed the torch Friday to Atlanta native Brandon Creel during a change of responsibility ceremony at the garrison. The occasion was marked by the passing of the garrison colors.” [Inside NoVA]

It’s Tuesday — Rain is guaranteed with showers followed by possible thunderstorms after 5pm. The high will near 69, with new rainfall of three quarters to one inch. Showers and potential thunderstorms continue at night with a low around 63 and an additional half to three-quarters of an inch of rainfall expected. [NWS]

White South African ‘Refugees’ Coming to Dulles — “Plans are underway to fly approximately 60 Afrikaners to Dulles International Airport on a State Department-chartered plane Monday, with federal and Virginia officials preparing to receive them in a ceremonial news conference.” The group is being welcomed despite the Trump administration’s suspension of other U.S. refugee admissions. [Washington Post]

Update on Herndon Double Murder Case — “Prosecutors are seeking to include statements made to police by a 4-year-old girl after her mother and another victim were found slain in the family’s home [in] Herndon.” The motion will be argued soon after attorneys met for a brief hearing last Friday (May 9). [NBC4]

Prison Sentence for Fatal I-395 Motorcycle Crash — “A Falls Church man who fled the scene after striking a motorcyclist near the Pentagon last year has been sentenced to three and a half years behind bars.” The sentence was handed down in Arlington Circuit Court last Friday, May 2. and exceeds the recommended 180 days. [ARLnow]

School Board Revises Cell Phone Usage Policy — After months of debate, the Fairfax County School Board voted 9-3 on Thursday (May 8) to permit “limited cellphone use by students. The compromise allows students to use their cellphones before and after class and during their lunch break.” A phone storage pilot program is still in effect. [WTOP]

Tree Falls Onto Fairfax City Home — “A falling tree crashed onto a duplex in Fairfax County, tearing down power lines and forcing a family out of their home.” The family that resides in the duplex was sleeping at the time, but fortunately, no one was in the bedroom where the tree fell, so there were no injuries. [NBC4]

New Watch Shop Opens in Tysons — “Luxury watch retailer Lenkersdorfer has unveiled a new 7,800-square-foot showroom in Tysons Corner Center, where customers can find a selection of watches from prestigious brands.” The showroom is complemented by the brand’s only Tudor boutique in the area. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Park Authority Awarded Invasive Species Grant — The Fairfax County Park Authority will receive a $60,827 grant from the Virginia Department of Forestry for invasive species management on parkland. The funds will support an Early Detection Rapid Response program that identfies new populations of invasive plants and “must be used by the end of June 2025.” [FCPA]

It’s Monday — Expect mostly cloudy skies and a high near 76, accompanied by a 30% chance of rain. The likelihood of precipitation will jump to 90% at night, with showers and possible thunderstorms appearing after 5am. The low temperature will be around 64. [NWS]

FCPS Boundary Review Enters New Phase — Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid shared on Wednesday (May 7) that the first phase of a systemwide school boundary review process is complete. For the second phase, draft scenarios will be presented at a series of community meetings, starting at Oakton High School next Thursday (May 15). [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Local McDonald’s Adopts Age Restrictions — The McDonald’s in Rose Hill (5600 Franconia Road) has a new policy limiting dine-in service to customers who are at least 21 years old. The rule was prompted by a “melee” at the fast-food restaurant last week, where “young people” were seen on video “fighting and standing on tables and heard cursing.” [NBC4]

Opening Day for Falls Church Ice Cream Shop — “D.C.-area creamery Ice Cream Jubilee plans to open its next location at noon at 151 W. Falls Station Blvd in Falls Church, joining the development’s growing retail landscape.” The business opened its first Fairfax County location at Reston Town Center last year. [ARLnow]

VHSL Transgender Athlete Policy Ratified — “The Virginia High School League ratified its transgender student participation policy Wednesday [at] its executive committee meeting.” The committee previously voted on Feb. 10 “to change the policy in compliance with President Donald Trump’s executive order to keep transgender women from playing on women’s high school sports teams.” [Inside NoVA]

Driver in Fatal I-66 Crash Seeks Witnesses — “A law firm representing an Uber Eats driver who was injured during a fatal motorcycle crash is seeking information from anyone who may have witnessed the collision that occurred April 27 on I-66.” The firm is looking for information to support a “potential legal suit against Uber Eats.” [Patch]

One Reston Contractor Acquires Another — “Reston government contractor Tyto Athene LLC has acquired Reston cloud security firm stackArmor Inc., extending its recent growth through M&A.” StackArmor will retain its name and branding, and all of its approximately 50 employees “are staying on,” including its co-founders, who will enter leadership roles in Tyto’s new subsidiary. [Washington Business Journal]

Local Park Celebrates Milestone Anniversaries — “Despite a steady drizzle that seemed perfectly suited for the occasion, more than 450 visitors flocked to Huntley Meadows Park on Sunday, May 4, to celebrate Wetlands Awareness Day and mark two major milestones: the 50th anniversary of Huntley Meadows Park and the 200th anniversary of Historic Huntley.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]

It’s Friday — There’s a 70% chance of precipitation, with showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2pm. The day will be mostly cloudy with a high near 64. Friday night brings a 30% chance of showers up until 8pm, then mostly clear skies with a low around 50. [NWS]