Author: FFXnow.com

FBI Standoff Near McLean — An individual barricaded himself inside a house in the 3600 block of N. Abingdon St. yesterday (Wednesday) morning, drawing “a large contingent” of FBI agents, crisis negotiators and other law enforcement to the residential neighborhood. Armed personnel were spotted at nearby Chesterbrook Shopping Center in McLean, which was apparently used as a staging area. [ARLnow]

Culmore Library Closed Today — “Culmore Library will remain closed Thursday, May 8 due to continuing repairs. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Please check back at this page or on our website Friday morning for the latest information regarding the branch’s operational status.” [Fairfax County Public Library/Facebook]

Kennedy Center Performers Plan Boycott — “When President Donald Trump descends on the Kennedy Performing Arts Center next month for a high-dollar fundraiser and a performance of ‘Les Misérables,’ he won’t be seeing the usual cast performing, sources told CNN. At least 10 to 12 performers in Les Mis are planning to sit out the show on June 11.” [CNN]

Fairfax City Council Adopts New Budget — “It took two votes, but the Fairfax City Council unanimously adopted the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget and a new real estate tax rate during a contentious meeting Tuesday night at city hall.” The adopted tax rate of $1.055 per $100 of assessed value was lower than what City Manager Bryan Foster proposed in February and the council advertised in March. [Patch]

How Federal Cuts Are Affecting Housing Market — “The Department of Government Efficiency began making large cuts to the federal workforce back in February, and new data suggests how the regional housing market is being affected. The latest weekly report from Bright MLS continues to find that there is an uptick in new listings coming online in the DC area, but the market is not being flooded.” [DC UrbanTurf]

I-95 Ramp in Lorton to Close Overnight — “Weather permitting, the ramp from northbound I-95 to Lorton Road (Route 642, Exit 163) will be closed from 11:59 p.m. Thursday, May 8, to 4 a.m. Friday, May 9, for paving … Drivers are asked to follow posted detour signs.” [VDOT]

New Condos Under Construction in Chantilly — Commonwealth Place at Westfields Belle Haven Collection, a new development with 81 stacked condominiums, is emerging at 4751 Sully Point Lane in Chantilly. “Thirty Belle Haven units have been completed, and the builder, Toll Brothers, anticipates completing construction on all homes by early 2026.” [Washington Post]

Reston Native on Selena Gomez Partnership — Benny “Blanco and pop star Selena Gomez announced their engagement late last year, and have chronicled their relationship in a new album, I Said I Love You First. We asked Blanco about his NoVA childhood, his early love of music, and his artistic collaborations with Gomez.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Thursday — Expect showers after 2pm, partly sunny skies, and a high near 78; there’s a 50% chance of precipitation. Night brings a 70% chance of rain with mostly cloudy skies, a low around 58, and a northeast wind at 3-6 mph. [NWS]

New Law Limits Youth Social Media Use — “Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed the Consumer Data Protection Act into law last week, cracking down on the amount of time young people can spend scrolling on social media. The measure, which had bipartisan support in the state’s general assembly, bans kids under 16 from using social media for more than one hour every day.” [WTOP]

Area Airports See Increased Passenger Volumes — “April was a busy month for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and Washington Dulles International (IAD). Both airports recorded their highest checkpoint volume of 2025 on April 11, TSA reported.” [WJLA]

ICE Agents Target D.C. Restaurants — Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents reportedly visited several restaurants in D.C. yesterday (Tuesday), asking to confirm their employees’ eligibility to work in “what is shaping up to be one of the city’s most high-profile examples yet of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.” [Washingtonian]

Reston Golf Course Developers Propose Funds — “The owners of Reston National Golf Course have offered to pay the Reston Association $8.5 million as part of an alternate plan in case the county rejects its proposal to redevelop the golf course property.” The offer was made in a letter to RA’s Board of Directors and CEO Mac Cummins last Friday (May 2). [Patch]

Coffee Shop Opens Reston Expansion — “Reston’s new café, De Clieu Coffee & Sandwich, opened its doors to a steady stream of customers Tuesday morning. The additional location for this Fairfax eatery, a partnership between Chang Koh and Jade Lee, is a renovated building at 2235 Soapstone Drive.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Vienna to Host Wellness Expo — “A healthy lifestyle as you age is the aim of Vienna’s health fair, the Wellness and Safety Expo. This year’s free event, tailored for adults age 55+, will be held on Friday, May 9, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St. SE.” [Town of Vienna]

Herndon Theater Performances Canceled — “Due to illness, all opening week performances of Footloose (May 8-11) have been canceled. If you have tickets to any performance this week, our box office will be reaching out to you shortly to assist with rescheduling. Thank you for your patience and understanding.” [NextStop Theatre Company/Instagram]

It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high temperature near 76 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind at 6 to 9 mph. Moving into Wednesday night, the skies will turn partly cloudy and the temperature will drop to around 59 degrees, with calm winds. [NWS]

VHSL to Vote on Transgender Athlete Restrictions — “Even after Virginia imposed a new ban blocking transgender students from girls’ sports, advocates are making a last-ditch push this week to sway high school sports leaders — challenging a decision that others have applauded.” The Virginia High School League is scheduled to ratify its policy change at a meeting tomorrow (Wednesday). [Virginia Mercury]

Army Helicopter Flights Halted Near DCA — “The Army is pausing helicopter flights near a Washington airport after two commercial planes had to abort landings last week because of an Army Black Hawk helicopter that was flying to the Pentagon … The pause comes after 67 people died in January when a passenger jet collided in midair with a Black Hawk helicopter at Reagan airport.” [Associated Press]

Rock Used in Hybla Valley Business Burglaries — “Detectives from our Criminal Investigations Division are seeking the community’s help in identifying a suspect responsible for multiple burglaries in Hybla Valley.” Police first responded to a burglary call at La Taza Panaderia on April 17 where the suspect reportedly used a rock to break in. [FCPD]

Shooting Survivor Shares Story — “Her own cellphone video captured the start of the terrifying gunfire that changed Esther’s life forever. The six gunshots left her with permanent injuries and, for now, tethered to a tracheostomy tube she must use to speak … Collins Agyei, her son’s father and the man who nearly killed her, was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Thursday.” [NBC4]

New Bank to Open in Annandale — “The new Chase Bank branch at 4250 John Marr Drive in Annandale is expected to open on May 20. New customers who open a personal or business account at the Grand Opening will receive a coupon for $300, says Catherine Morrison, market director for consumer banking at Chase.” [Annandale Today]

Fairfax Connector Service Changes Coming — Fairfax Connector will implement changes to some bus routes starting May 17. “Key adjustments include the introduction of two new routes – Route 652 and Route 670 – designed to improve connectivity and meet emerging transit demands. In addition, Route 599 will be discontinued to optimize system efficiency.” [Fairfax Connector]

New Tech Used to Treat Parkinson’s Disease — “Rick Schena, of Alexandria, Virginia, and his doctor at MedStar Health, in McLean, have begun using the latest technology — adaptive deep brain stimulation — in his treatment for Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder.” Schena is the first Parkinson’s patient in the D.C. area to be treated with the technology. [WTOP]

It’s Tuesday — There’s a 60% chance of precipitation today, with potential thunderstorms starting at 11 am and temperatures peaking at 75. At night, showers and thunderstorms are likely before 11pm, with increasing clouds and lows around 57. [NWS]

Abduction Charges Dropped After Judge Rejects Plea Deal — “A Virginia man accused of trying to abduct a 4-year-old girl was freed from jail Friday after almost two years. The Fairfax County commonwealth’s attorney dropped charges against Hyram Baquedano Rodriguez after a judge refused to sign off on a guilty plea with a two-year sentence.” [NBC4]

Data Center Regulation Bill Vetoed — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a bill with bipartisan support Friday that would have required data center applicants and energy utilities to disclose information to local governments on noise and environmental impacts of the project.” [WTOP]

FCPD Shares Latest Road Shark Campaign Data — “Between April 21 and April 27, officers issued more than 8,250 citations and warnings, including over 600 speeding citations and 160 reckless driving citations. These numbers highlight the ongoing need for focused enforcement and driver accountability across Fairfax County.” [FCPD]

Trucks Get Warning to Prevent Crashes Into Dulles Toll Road — “Construction vehicles hitting bridges and overpasses has been such an issue that a new warning system was recently put in place to stop it.” A crash that damaged a bridge in Reston in 2023 affected traffic for months afterwards, and other highways have seen similar incidents. [NBC4]

Nonprofit Adds Pantry With Menstrual Products — “Elected officials and the Junior League of Northern Virginia recently celebrated the opening of the Britepaths SNAP Gap Pantry in Fairfax. The Period Pantry, which is located in Britepaths’ offices at 3959 Pender Drive, provides the central Fairfax community with consistent, dignified access to a range of women’s health and hygiene products.” [Patch]

Occoquan Boardwalk Project Funding Vetoed — “Plans to extend the popular Occoquan Riverwalk have hit a major roadblock after Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed $1.2 million in state funding that town leaders had counted on to move the project forward.” [Potomac Local News]

Reston Native Pursues Entrepreneurial Ventures at UVA — “[Rajan] Chidambaram, a Reston, Va. native, is known around Grounds for his viral fraternity and sorority house tours on Instagram. But behind the scenes, he has been building a unique real estate venture, combining his interests in business and property.” [Cavalier Daily]

It’s Monday — There’s a 90% chance of showers and a possible thunderstorm after 2pm, with patchy fog clearing by 10am and a high near 76°F. Tonight, anticipate a low around 62°F with showers and a potential thunderstorm before 2am. [NWS]