Today’s promised warning shot of snow has begun to fall in Fairfax County.
The National Weather Service has issued at “Snow Squall Warning” for parts of the county after one was spotted at 3:27 p.m. in the Annandale and Lincolnia area, moving east at 45 mph.
Fairfax County’s top Republican policymaker is entering the race for lieutenant governor.
Pat Herrity, who has represented the Springfield District on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for more than 15 years, formally announced his candidacy for the office this morning (Friday).
Though a flurry of flakes rushed through the area in late November, this weekend could bring D.C. area’s first serious snowfall of the season.
The National Weather Service is currently predicting a 70% chance of precipitation today (Friday), with rain likely turning into snow mixed with rain after 3 p.m. Less than half an inch of snow is expected.
Events to Look Forward to in 2025 — “Northern Virginians have so much to look forward to, from the return of the giant pandas to celebrating 50 years of Kings Dominion to so many new openings. You won’t want to miss any of these 25 events and attractions in 2025.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Legislator to Preview General Assembly Session — State Del. Holly Seibold, “who represents Virginia’s 12th House District, including Vienna, Tysons and some adjacent parts of Fairfax County, will preview the upcoming state legislative session” at Patrick Henry Library in Vienna tomorrow (Saturday) at 12:30 p.m. The county’s General Assembly delegation will also hold a public hearing at 9 a.m. [Fairfax County Public Library]
Bill Would Require Political Ads to Disclose A.I. Use — “Virginia State Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax County, already pre-filed a bill before the General Assembly convenes in January that would require political ads to disclose the use of AI. The content can mislead voters by distorting reality, such as deepfake robocalls generated in New Hampshire that sounded like President Joe Biden.” [WUSA9]
Retiring Rep. Wexton Seeks to Raise Awareness of Disease — “In January, Wexton will retire from the House of Representatives, where she has served since 2019. Yet the manner in which she’s making her exit is atypical. Many diagnosed with PSP retreat from the world … But Wexton has chosen to fight, using her platform to bring attention to the disease and working to pass legislation to fund potential new treatments for it and other brain disorders.” [Washingtonian]
Lottery Ticket Bought in Herndon Among $1M Winners — “Five lottery winners have scored a million-dollar prize in Virginia’s New Year’s Millionaire Raffle, including two in Northern Virginia.” One of the winning raffle tickets was sold by the McNair Farms Sunoco at 13470 Coppermine Road in Herndon. [Patch]
Vegetarian Indian Restaurant Coming to Chantilly — “It looks like a vegetarian restaurant chain is expanding into Northern Virginia. It’s called Saravanaa Bhavan and it specializes in meat-free dishes from southern India … Saravanaa Bhavan has taken a roughly 4,800 s.f. space in the Chantilly Crossing shopping center.” [The Burn]
Volunteers Invited to Help Package Oatmeal — “The Rotary Club of Bailey’s Crossroads, the Arlington Moose Lodge, and the Bailey’s Crossroads Lions Club invite community members to take part in an oatmeal packaging event on Jan. 4. Volunteers will assemble 18,000 servings of fortified oatmeal to help low-income people get through the cold winter months.” [Annandale Today]
It’s Friday — Expect rain and snow showers after 1pm, with mostly cloudy skies, a high near 42, and southwest winds of 5-11 mph, gusting up to 18 mph. There’s a 50% chance of precipitation. For Friday night, there’s a 20% chance of snow showers before 10pm, clearing up to mostly clear skies and a low of 25. [NWS]
A new report says Fairfax County leaders need to work on better determining the county’s deer population, explaining the need for deer management to the public and recruiting volunteers for deer-culling efforts.
Those are some of the suggestions made to the Board of Supervisors by the Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC) in its 134-page annual report for 2024.
Lightning Strikes D.C. Landmarks — “2024 did not go out with a whimper, as storms moved into the region on New Year’s Eve, producing heavy rain, wind gusts and prompting a tornado warning and lightning strikes at two iconic D.C. structures. Lightning struck the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol Tuesday night as the storms rolled through the District.” [WTOP]
Rep. Connolly Reacts to New Orleans Attack — “I am heartbroken by the horrific attack in New Orleans. My heart is with the victims, their families, and the people of New Orleans. Thank you to every first responder who ran toward danger to protect innocent lives.” [Rep. Gerry Connolly/Twitter]
Fairfax City Police Investigate Shots-Fired Incident — “Police are asking the public’s help in identifying the person who shot a firearm around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday in the 9900 block of Fairfax Square. This is the second such shooting in the neighborhood” in December. No injuries or property damage were reported, but bullet casings were found. [Patch]
South County Sees Rebound in Tourism — “Visit Fairfax, the county’s destination marketing organization, is upbeat about the post-pandemic resurgence of tourism in Southeast Fairfax County — particularly in the resource- and attraction-rich parts of the Mount Vernon District.” Attractions like the Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey House and the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton reported upticks in visitors for 2024. [On the MoVe]
Police Seek Suspects in Annandale Home Burglary — “On December 27, at 2:48 p.m., officers responded to the 3300 block of Elm Terrace in Annandale for a residential burglary alarm. The complainant reported seeing two suspects enter her home on surveillance cameras. After activating an audible alarm, the suspects fled prior to police arrival.” [FCPD]
Tysons Marriott Hotel Sold — “The Tysons Corner Marriott has sold for nearly $63.9 million, or $161,227 per key, to a New York real estate investment management firm that appears to be making its first entry into Greater Washington’s hospitality market. The sale, to an affiliate of Prospect Ridge, was recorded Dec. 5, per Fairfax County land records.” [Washington Business Journal]
Incoming Fairfax City Council Member Gets Engaged — “As if getting elected to the Fairfax City Council didn’t make 2024 special enough for Anthony Amos, he decided to cap the year off by getting engaged … Monterrosa and Amos first met in Hawaii in 2018. The couple has set Sept. 20, 2025 as a tentative date for their wedding ceremony.” [Patch]
It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high temperature near 40 degrees, accompanied by a west wind blowing at 11 to 16 mph and gusts up to 28 mph. For Thursday night, the conditions will be mostly clear with a low temperature around 29 degrees and a west wind at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]
New Year’s Day will bring a number of new laws and regulations into effect across Virginia.
While legislation passed by the General Assembly and signed by the governor typically has an effective date of the start of the state government’s fiscal year on July 1, some measures are delayed until Jan. 1 each year.
The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is once again encouraging residents to welcome a new year by hitting its trails.
The First Hike Fairfax photo contest will return for New Year’s Day 2025, offering prizes to park visitors who take a snap while strolling or hiking and upload it to the FCPA website. The link will be posted online by 7 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday).
Police Offer New Year’s Eve Safety Tips — “Traffic-related incidents often increase during holiday celebrations, especially when alcohol is involved. If you are planning to drive this New Year’s Eve, avoid drinking entirely to ensure you are fully alert and in control behind the wheel.” Free Lyft rides will be available through the Tysons-based Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP). [FCPD]
Culmore Residents Displaced by Apartment Fire — “A fire in an apartment building in Culmore on Dec. 18 displaced five people, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reports.” There were no injuries after a fire alarm woke up residents, enabling them to evacuate the second-floor unit in the 6000 block of Argyle Drive. “Total property loss is estimated at $81,000.” [Annandale Today]
D.C. Records Warmest Year on Record — “Cooler December weather couldn’t keep the year from becoming the city’s warmest on record. This year’s annual average temperature of 61.8 degrees will end up 0.3 degrees ahead of the previous record high of 61.5 degrees in 2012.” [Capital Weather Gang]
Security Vestibules Added at Some Schools — “Several schools around the Richmond Highway Corridor, including West Potomac High School, have either finished or nearly wrapped up construction of their new security vestibules … With phase one of vestibule implementation nearly complete, there are still four more groups to go,” with FCPS seeking bids for a second round in early 2025. [On the MoVe]
Prolonged Street Closure Required Near Landmark Mall — “Some streets around the former Landmark Mall site, most notable a stretch of Duke Street, could see some closures starting today and running through next August. The City of Alexandria said the street closures are tied to construction of infrastructure at the WestEnd project.” [ALXnow]
Falls Church to Prioritize Affordable Housing in 2025 — “Some Falls Church officials are hoping 2025 will be a year of moving from conversation to concrete decisions in addressing affordable-housing goals.” The Falls Church City Council recently discussed goals recommended by a “working group that had spent much of 2024 focused on affordable housing.” [ARLnow]
TJ Student Raises Awareness of Light Pollution — “Lots of teenagers spend their time relaxing over winter break; but 15-year-old Rushil Kukreja was busy meeting with state lawmakers in Virginia about light pollution.” The Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology junior created the nonprofit Princia to support “advocacy, education and research.” [WTOP]
It’s Tuesday — There’s an 80% chance of precipitation, starting at 1pm, with a high of 58 and southeast winds at 5-11 mph, gusting to 20 mph. On Tuesday night, expect a low around 42 and a west wind at 9 mph. New Year’s Day will be mostly sunny, breezy, and with a high near 48, accompanied by a west wind at 11-20 mph, gusting up to 34 mph. [NWS]
In 2023, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors allocated $15 million to the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Service Board to construct or renovate a crisis receiving center for youth behavioral health emergencies.
After more than a year, however, Fairfax has yet to pick a location – the next step to getting the center operational.
