Author: FFXnow.com

I-66 Safety Campaign Planned — “The Virginia State Police Fairfax and Culpepper Divisions will be conducting Operation DISS-rupt on all 76 miles of Interstate 66 in Virginia on Aug. 22-24, 2026. The traffic enforcement and educational safety initiative focuses on Distracted driving, Impaired driving, Speed compliance and Seat belt safety.” [Press release]

Rescue Task Force Returns From Earthquake — “Members of Virginia Task Force 1 (VA-TF1) received a heroes’ welcome home Thursday night, after ten days in Colombia … The team flew to Colombia to support the State Department’s response to the August 10 earthquake, where they helped with disaster coordination and structural engineering.” [DC News Now]

Contractor Files Notice of Layoffs — “Reston-based government technology contractor TekSynap expects to eliminate as many as 69 positions after work under two subcontracting programs comes to an end, according to a notice filed with the Virginia Works Rapid Response Program.” The company recently announced it will move its headquarters to a larger office at Reston Town Center. [Patch]

Police Seek Paisano’s Pizza Burglar — “Detectives from our Criminal Investigations Division are seeking the public’s assistance to identify a man who burglarized two Paisano’s Pizza locations in less than one week. Both incidents occurred around 4 a.m.,” first in Springfield on July 30 and then at a shop in Annandale on Aug. 4. [FCPD]

Study of Data Center Taxes Begins — “Virginia’s General Assembly convened its dormant Joint Subcommittee on Tax Policy on Wednesday for the first time since 2024, with the aim of implementing a consumption tax on data center operators and studying current exemptions for data centers and their impacts on communities.” [Cardinal News]

Fire Department Hands Out Backpacks — The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department “hosted its annual Backpack and School Supply Distribution at FS11, Penn Daw. Firefighters, retirees, and volunteers worked together to distribute 1,200 backpacks filled with school supplies to 45 schools and nonprofits throughout the county.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

New Member Joins Park Authority Board — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is pleased to announce that Ray Foote has been appointed by Braddock District Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer to represent” her district on the Park Authority Board. A county resident for 38 years, Foote “brings decades of nonprofit leadership, philanthropy and conservation experience to his new role.” [FCPA]

Cinema Supper Club in Vienna — “Hosted by Cozy District Cafe and sponsored by DMV Cater, the new immersive dining experience pairs food, film, and atmosphere to create a one-of-a-kind movie night.” Limited tickets are available for Cinema Supper Club’s next screenings of “Ratatouille” today and next Friday, Aug. 28, at Vienna Moose Lodge (9616 Courthouse Road). [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Friday — It will be mostly sunny with a high of 82°F. Night brings increasing clouds and a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms, especially after 2 a.m., with a low around 69°F. [NWS]

Victim of Fatal I-495 Crash Identified — Virginia State Police have identified the Toyota Camry driver killed in a two-vehicle crash on I-495 south of Braddock Road on Sunday (Aug. 15) as 68-year-old Hung Nhu Ong of Fairfax. The driver of a BMW in the crash, a 22-year-old man from Annandale, has been charged with driving under the influence. [DC News Now]

Governor Touts $2B Revenue Increase — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday highlighted Virginia’s financial wins in the fiscal year that ended in July,” including a $2.1 billion increase in general revenue funds and projections of an additional $600 million from a new energy consumption tax on data centers. The governor also acknowledged “significant impacts from federal shifts … most notably a loss of 43,600 jobs.” [Virginia Mercury]

Scrutiny of Flock Cameras Builds — “A nationwide debate over police surveillance technology has landed in the Washington region, as lawsuits, a looming Fairfax County protest and new state law collide over automated license plate readers, which are AI-powered cameras capable of tracking a vehicle’s movements.” [WUSA9]

A Look Inside New Skyview High School — “Fairfax County Public Schools didn’t have to start from scratch. The district acquired the building from the King Abdullah Academy, then spent about a year transforming it into a public high school. Now, Skyview is ready for students, with specialized spaces focused on aerospace, technology and robotics.” [WUSA9]

Packed House for Data Center Meeting — “Residents from eight ZIP codes packed a room in Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library Saturday (Aug. 15) to discuss concerns with the Plaza 500 data center plans just outside Alexandria city limits.” The Fairfax County Planning Commission is slated to hold a public hearing on an electrical substation to power the project on Sept. 24. [ALXnow]

Medicaid Eligibility Changes Coming — “Starting Oct. 1, 2026, Medicaid will have eligibility changes for non-citizen adults. Our Department of Family Services is committed to working to ensure that current Medicaid enrollees are aware of these changes and their impact.” The Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services is contacting individuals who could be affected by mail this month. [Fairfax County Government]

Funding Challenging for Volunteer Fire Departments — “There’s a financial crisis happening in many volunteer firehouses across the state: The costs of fire engines and other equipment have skyrocketed and the number of emergency calls has increased, while state funding has remained largely flat and funding from localities often can’t stretch to fill the gap.” [Cardinal News]

New Art Exhibit Planned at Reston Gallery — “Animals, plants and landscapes encountered by artist Rosemarie Forsythe in Virginia and around the world will be featured in a solo exhibition opening Sept. 5 at Reston Art Gallery and Studios. ‘Natural Wonders’ will run through Sept. 27 at the artists’ collective at Lake Anne Plaza.” [Patch]

It’s Thursday — Expect a high near 87°F and increasing clouds. There’s a 60% chance of rain throughout the day, with storms most likely from 3-11 p.m. At night, skies will be mostly cloudy with a low around 69°F. [NWS]

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GMU Students Return to Campus — “As George Mason University welcomes nearly 6,000 residential students to the Fairfax Campus for move-in and Preamble events from Wednesday, Aug. 19, to Sunday, Aug. 23, the campus community should expect increased traffic and parking delays … Specific parking areas will be reserved for move-in, and road closures will be in effect in some areas.” [GMU]

Hikers Shocked by Great Falls Killing — Fairfax County police have identified a 42-year-old woman from Reston as the victim of the fatal stabbing in Difficult Run Park yesterday morning (Monday). “While detectives continue to investigate, the violence has left the community shaken.” [WUSA9]

Man Accused of Posing as FBI Agent — A “man accused of posing as an FBI agent at an active Fairfax County polling place nearly two years ago — while wearing a pellet gun resembling a pistol — was arrested Monday and has been indicted on two federal charges, according to court documents.” [Patch]

County Rolls Out Tax Payment Kiosks — “New self-service kiosks now give you a faster option to make personal property tax payments closer to home, eliminating the need to visit our Department of Tax Administration’s customer service counter. The kiosks are available at four county government locations.” [Fairfax County Government]

WWII Veteran Celebrates 101st Birthday — “Romuald “Rom” Lipinski has lived a remarkable life – from his 1925 birth in Poland to his teens in Siberia to fighting in the Polish Army in Italy during WWII … And on July 25 – still sharp as a tack – he celebrated his 101st birthday with his children and friends at Brightview Senior Living in the Centreville area, where he’s a resident.” [The Connection]

Spanberger Seeks Emergency Response Review — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced Executive Order 19 Tuesday afternoon, which is designed to strengthen Virginia’s preparedness for natural disasters and other emergencies and streamline the state’s response to crises … Private-sector entities, local first responders and nonprofit organizations will also be involved in the endeavor.” [Virginia Mercury]

Nuclear Reactor Startup Raises Capital — “OrganiCore Nuclear Inc., a Reston startup, has raised $15 million toward a potential $65 million round, per a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission … The company, located at a Carr Workplaces coworking space at 1818 Library St. in Reston Town Center, has raised funding from at least 11 investors” and is working with the Oak Ridge National Lab in Tennessee to collect data “on how particles might move within its custom coolant.” [Washington Business Journal]

Celebrate End of Summer Reading — “Join us for a fun-filled event to wrap up our Summer Reading Program!” The celebration today (Wednesday) at Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library will include crafts, raffles, snacks and a balloon artist from 3:30-5:30 p.m. [Fairfax County Public Library]

New Legal Notice — Restaurant seeks ABC license for on/off-premises wine, beer, mixed beverages. [Public Notices]

It’s Wednesday — It will be sunny, with a high near 89°F, accompanied by a west wind blowing at 3 to 6 mph. Wednesday night has a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 a.m., with increasing clouds and a low of around 72°F. [NWS]

There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.

Man Injured in Centreville Crash — An adult male driver was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries following a two-vehicle crash at Centreville Road and Compton Road yesterday (Monday) afternoon. Northbound Centreville Road, also known as Route 28, was closed for an extended period at the intersection as detectives investigated. [FCPD/X]

Arrest in Hybla Valley Stabbing — An Alexandria man has been charged with malicious wounding in connection with a stabbing that occurred in the 7800 block of Richmond Highway on Saturday (Aug. 15). “Officers found a 41-year-old man who had been stabbed in his upper body. Responders transported him to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. He was still hospitalized as of Monday afternoon.” [DC News Now]

Change in FBI HQ Plans Blocked — “Maryland and Prince George’s County secured a win in court Monday in their fight to keep the FBI’s future home in Greenbelt. A federal judge ruled President Donald Trump’s administration cannot scrap those plans in favor of its preference to move the bureau’s headquarters across the street to the Ronald Reagan Building in D.C.” [WTOP]

Man Committed for Killing Flies Out of U.S. — A man who was charged with murder for the killing of his landlord in Vienna in 2019 left the country on a one-way flight from Dulles Airport to Tajikistan via Istanbul on July 6, court documents show. Found not guilty by reason of insanity, Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda was committed in 2022 to the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute, which had granted him a weekend pass despite opposition to his release. [FOX5]

Virginia Tapped for Early Primary — “The Democratic National Committee on Saturday approved by voice vote its lineup of six early primaries for the 2028 election cycle, kicking off with South Carolina and Nevada.” Virginia will be sixth on the schedule, with a Democratic presidential primary on Feb. 29, 2028. [Virginia Mercury]

Donations for Online Gaming Bill Supporters — During this year’s General Assembly session, “five Republican senators broke with their caucus and supported legalized online casino gambling. Four months later, the trade group behind the bill sent each of the five GOP senators a campaign donation of $100,000, according to campaign finance disclosures released last month.” [Poole Report]

Va. AG Creates Worker Protection Unit — “Attorney General Jay Jones announced on Friday the creation of a Worker Protection Unit, which Jones said will put the voices of working people first … The unit will be tasked with investigating potential violations of labor laws like wage theft, employee misclassification and more.” [WRIC]

Dessert Shop Coming to Falls Church — “A new spot for cupcakes, ice cream and other sweet treats is preparing to open in Falls Church. Lil’ Cakes & Creamery … is hoping to open at 120 Founders Avenue by the end of August, a spokesperson told ARLnow.” The regional chain currently has two Virginia locations in Sterling and Alexandria City. [ARLnow]

It’s Tuesday — Sunny conditions are expected, with temperatures reaching a high of 87°F and northwest winds blowing at 6 to 8 mph. By night, the weather will become partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to around 69°F. [NWS]

Want more local news? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow, with the latest from across the region.

ICE Agents Previously Seen in Chicago — “Unraveled has verified the agents in Molina’s videos were far from their usual base of operations. The team has been recorded inflicting violence on immigrants, protesters, and observers in the Chicago area since last summer, including outside the region’s ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois.” [Unraveled]

Police Seek Leads in 20-Year-Old Murders — “It has been 20 years since two women named Marion were killed 2 miles apart by the same person, Fairfax County, Virginia, police said. And the suspect has never been located. Police are asking for the public’s help in finding new information on who killed them.” Police say DNA testing confirmed that Marion Newman and Marion Marshall, both Springfield residents, were killed by the same person. [WTOP]

Grocer Bans Workers From Wearing Masks — “Employees at MOM’s Organic Market locations across Maryland are demanding answers after the Rockville-based grocery chain instituted a policy prohibiting them from wearing medical face masks on the job. According to an internal document reviewed by The Banner, the policy, which went into effect [on Aug. 10], is related to customer service.” [Baltimore Banner]

Dominion Requests Help With Fuel Costs — “Dominion Energy asked the State Corporation Commission for permission to recover an additional $922 million in fuel costs, citing extreme power demands during severe winter weather and a national rise in gas prices as reasons for the escalation beyond its original calculations.” [Virginia Mercury]

MedStar McLean Building Sold — The MedStar Health Medical Center at 1420 Beverly Road was sold last week by owner Stewart Investment Partners to Thomas Park “for an undisclosed price.” The 47,185-square-foot building is fully leased with MedStar Health occupying 85% of the space, and it was last renovated in 2022. [Citybiz]

Contractor Indicted for Fraud — “A former accounting contractor is accused of diverting nearly $2 million from a Falls Church software company by disguising payments to her personal bank account as legitimate vendor expenses, according to federal court records.” The woman was indicted on seven counts of wire fraud last Wednesday (Aug. 12) by a federal grand jury. [Patch]

Push for Tysons Convention Center Continues — “Tysons as the right environment for a convention center isn’t the question, [Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay] said; it’s whether the economics and partnership opportunities make it a good idea financially.” Tysons has been considered as an option for a “hotel/motel conference center” since the county’s 1984 comprehensive plan, but as the area develops, potential sites are dwindling. [Washington Business Journal]

Netflix Movie Has Local Origins — “Don’t Say Good Luck,” starring Adam Sandler’s daughter, Sunny Sandler, “was inspired by the co-screenwriter and D.C. native Laura Hankin’s own experience: She landed the lead in the then-Woodrow Wilson High School’s production of ‘Moby Dick! The Musical’ right when her own mother became sick.” The movie includes places inspired by D.C.-area hangout spots, such as the malls in Tysons. [Axios DC]

It’s Monday — Expect mostly sunny skies today with a high near 89°F and a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 PM. Tonight, there will be partly cloudy skies and a low around 71°F. North winds will blow at 3 to 6 mph. [NWS]