Fairfax County in July recorded its largest number of residents employed since September 2025, but jobless totals remained higher than at the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term.
With 616,156 county residents employed in the civilian workforce and 21,819 looking for jobs, Fairfax’s July 2026 jobless rate was 3.4%, according to figures reported Sept. 2 by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.
Man Stabbed in West Falls Church — “Two people, including a teenager, are in custody Monday night after a stabbing inside a home left a man seriously injured in West Falls Church. The Fairfax County Police Department said the stabbing was ‘domestic-related’ and took place in a home in the 7000 block of Parkwood Court.” [DC News Now]
Call for Special Session Rejected — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger said Thursday she will not call another special session of the General Assembly to give state regulators more time to review the proposed $66.8 billion merger between Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy, rejecting a request from lawmakers who warned the current 180-day review period is too short.” [Virginia Scope]
Apartment Break-In Under Investigation — Fairfax County police are looking to identify a man who was seen on video climbing onto a third-floor apartment balcony in Groveton. “According to the apartment owner, the suspect got spooked, pointed a gun and made threats before walking out without taking anything.” [FOX5]
Amtrak to Pause Virginia-D.C. Service — “Rail passengers traveling through Virginia’s Northeast Corridor should expect cancellations, route changes and may need to rely on bus connections beginning Oct. 16, due to major track upgrades … Trains traveling through Virginia will effectively end at Alexandria, with only a limited number continuing north.” [Virginia Mercury]
Congressman’s Phone Wiretapped by FBI — “Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) said Thursday he was informed by the Department of Justice that his phone calls with a Virginia state legislator in the spring were wiretapped.” Subramanyam said the wiretap was part of a probe into Senate President Louise Lucas, but called its timing during campaigning for the nullified redistricting referendum “extremely suspicious.” [Axios]
Decline in International College Students — “International students at Virginia colleges face new federal restrictions starting Sept. 15, as the state grapples with a sharp drop in international enrollment … Public four-year colleges lost over 1,100 graduate or professional international students last fall (a 13% decline) while gaining 287 undergraduates, per the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.” [Axios Richmond]
Gap in Va. Medicaid Reimbursement — “Virginia’s Medicaid programs reimburse doctors at significantly lower rates than private insurers for the same preventive-care services, according to a study published Friday.” George Mason University professor Alison Cuellar, who led the study, “said lower reimbursement rates can make physicians less likely to participate in Medicaid, potentially making it harder for patients to find care.” [WTOP]
Father-Daughter Pilots at Dulles Connect on Radio — “Kenny [Katnik], a 24-year-old CommuteAir captain, and her father, United Airlines pilot Kent Katnik, were preparing for separate flights Sept. 1 when they ended up on the same radio frequency. Their brief exchange spread online, giving listeners a glimpse of the family behind the flight decks.” [WJLA]
It’s Tuesday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high of 87°F and a calm morning wind shifting to the southwest at about 5 mph. Tuesday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 65°F and a light south wind at 6 mph. [NWS]
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More than 16,000 residences and businesses in Fairfax County lack power following last night’s powerful thunderstorm.
As of 10 a.m., power outages were affecting approximately 16,464 Dominion Energy customers in the county, plus another 607 customers in Fairfax City, according to the utility’s outage map.
Groundbreaking Planned on Trump Arch — “Excavation work is set to start over the next two weeks at Memorial Circle, where the Trump administration plans to build a towering, gilded arch between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.” A construction timeline was announced even though the project hasn’t received final approval and is facing a lawsuit. [ARLnow]
Spanberger Visits Apartment Project — Gov. Abigail Spanberger and other elected officials visited Merrifield on Wednesday (Sept. 2) for a tour of Conifer Realty’s 80-unit affordable housing development on Telestar Court, which broke ground in June 2025 and is on track to finish construction this December. The office conversion project was touted as an example of “the commonwealth’s efforts to address a growing housing shortage.” [WTOP]
Flock Camera Opposition Gaining Steam — “One town in Northern Virginia recently voted to immediately remove all of its Flock cameras. Now, Virginia lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are considering a statewide ban … Fairfax County police said [license plate reader] technology has assisted in nearly 900 arrests and helped locate 57 missing persons since November 2022.” [NBC4]
Spanberger Skeptical of Flock Ban — “Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said calls to ban automatic license plate reading cameras, such as Flock devices, are ‘overly simplistic,’ instead vowing to work with lawmakers on a solution to protect privacy while also maintaining the ability for law enforcement to investigate crimes.” [WTOP]
Student Advocates for Pediatric Cancer Research — “Darya Golesorkhi, 15, of Reston entered South Lakes High School this week as a sophomore. While she and her peers in Fairfax County Public Schools navigate new districtwide restrictions on generative artificial intelligence in classrooms, Darya is heading to Capitol Hill on Friday, Sept. 18, to champion AI’s life-saving potential.” [The Connection]
Fairfax Water Seeks Public Input — “Your Water, Your Voice! Fairfax Water is hosting customer focus groups to better understand your experiences and help shape the future of our services. If you’d like to share your thoughts, apply here by September 14, 2026.” [Fairfax Water/X]
Mental Health Hospital Sold — “HCA Healthcare has sold Dominion Hospital in Seven Corners to Hill Valley Healthcare for $25.2 million, the Washington Business Journal reported on Sept. 1. The 116-bed Dominion Hospital, located at 2960 Sleepy Hollow Road, provides behavior and mental health services for children, teens, and adults.” [Annandale Today]
Regional Apple-Picking Options Limited — “Apple-picking season is here — but one of fall’s favorite pastimes will be shorter, sparser or canceled altogether at some D.C.-area orchards after last spring’s devastating frost … Local apple lovers may find higher prices and fewer varieties.” [Axios DC]
It’s Friday — Expect increasing clouds with a high near 91°F and a heat index up to 101°F. Showers and thunderstorms are possible after 2 pm, with a 40% chance of precipitation. Overnight, there’s a 50% chance of rain before 2 am, with mostly cloudy skies and a low of around 72°F. [NWS]
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is considering tightening rules around funding awarded to nonprofit and regional organizations.
Each year, supervisors distribute about $26 million to the organizations through what is known as the Contributory Fund.
Legislators Seek Special Session on Dominion Merger — “Alexandria’s state Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-39) and a handful of other Democratic lawmakers are calling on Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) to convene a special session in September on the proposed Dominion Energy and NextEra merger.” Fairfax County signatories include state Sens. Saddam Azlan Salim and Stella Pekarsky. [ALXnow]
Teachers Protest Weapons Detection Duties — “It was back-to-school night Tuesday at Lake Braddock Secondary School, but some teachers were outside protesting. A requirement from the school says that all teachers have to pitch in with weapons detection duty,” an obligation that some Fairfax County Federation of Teachers and Fairfax Education Association members argue is outside their job description. [NBC4]
Data Centers Driving Some From N. Va. — “The data center debate has hit full force — and Northern Virginia real estate agents say it’s driving some residents out of the area.” However, while real estate agents say some clients are seeking to get away from data centers, and proximity to one “can hurt a home’s value, there’s no clear sign the debate is hurting Northern Virginia’s housing market overall.” [Axios DC]
Injuries in GW Parkway Crash — “A head-on collision on the George Washington Memorial Parkway sent two drivers to the hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries Monday night.” State Sen. Scott Surovell pointed to the crash, which occurred on Aug. 31 near Morningside Lane in Fort Hunt, as evidence that there’s a need for speed cameras on the parkway. [WUSA9]
Kingstowne Uno Might Be Replaced — Zoning documents suggest property owner Federal Realty plans to demolish Uno’s building at 5935 Kingstowne Towne Center and replace it with a new restaurant, possibly for Sweetwater Tavern. When asked, Federal Realty said only that Uno “remains a tenant,” and the Uno franchisee said he “has not been informed by Federal Realty of a lease termination.” [Washington Business Journal]
Calls to Extend Protections for Salvadorans — “Tens of thousands of people from El Salvador, including many in the D.C. area, could face deportation if the Trump administration decides to end their Temporary Protected Status next week. Democratic members of Congress and advocates are calling for the administration to extend Temporary Protected Status for Salvadorans, which has been in effect in the U.S. for 25 years.” [WTOP]
Police Seek Man Behind Home Burglary — “On August 28 at 8:40 a.m., officers responded to a townhome in the 6300 block of Manchester Way in Lincolnia for a burglary. The suspect entered the residence through a rear door and took an item of clothing. The homeowner confronted the suspect, causing him to flee. The homeowner was not injured.” [FCPD]
Film Screenings Benefit Dolly Parton Charity — “Regal is expanding its Dolly Parton benefit screenings nationwide this weekend, with 17 participating theatres across Virginia,” including the Regal in Kingstowne. The movies “Steel Magnolias and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas will screen over Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 4-9, with 100% of proceeds benefiting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Tickets are $9.25 in a nod to Parton’s iconic hit ‘9 to 5.'” [Press release]
It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny weather with a high of 95°F and a heat index of up to 103°F, with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Winds will be light, turning west at 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Thursday night, there is a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., with partly cloudy skies and a low of around 77°F. [NWS]
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Fairfax County has seen a drop in countywide employment since the start of the second Trump administration.
A total of 622,800 jobs were reported across Fairfax in the first quarter of 2026, according to figures reported Aug. 28 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s down 2.1% from the first quarter of 2025.
Fairfax County elected officials and staff are trying a new approach as the 2027 General Assembly session nears.
Among their goals: Get information and local positions to legislators sooner, don’t overburden them with too much information, and build strategic relationships with downstate lawmakers.
Crossing guard services at 10 Fairfax County public high schools will be temporarily reinstated as the county supervisors assess solutions for pedestrian safety issues, the Fairfax County Police Department says.
“In the interim, Fairfax County Police officers and crossing guards will provide traffic and crossing support at 11 high school crossing locations previously staffed,” a spokesperson for the FCPD wrote to FFXnow this morning (Wednesday) in an email.
New Details on Great Falls Stabbing — “The man accused of fatally stabbing a woman last month in Great Falls, Virginia, told a witness he was going to kill the woman, according to a Fairfax County criminal complaint … The witness told police that Cedillos-Campos was working that Sunday but left early after Puch sent screenshots of their affair to his girlfriend, the complaint states.” [WTOP]
School Bus Attendant Charged With Assault — “A Fairfax County Public Schools bus attendant is facing four assault and battery charges after City of Fairfax Police said an investigation found he struck the same student multiple times in July … Detectives obtained and reviewed video from a school bus that was transporting students to a summer program, according to police.” [Patch]
Enforcement of ICE Agreement Ban Blocked — “A federal judge has temporarily blocked Virginia from enforcing key provisions of a new law restricting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, allowing existing partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement to continue while the legal challenge plays out.” [Virginia Mercury]
N. Va. Airport Cleared for Commercial Service — “The rebranded Washington Manassas Airport on Monday formally received its airport operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, a landmark designation paving the way for the imminent arrival of commercial flights in Prince William County.” [Inside NoVA]
Video Shows SUV Bursting into Flames on Beltway — “Wow! This SUV driving on the Capital Beltway south of Braddock Road pulled over just in time early Sunday evening. @ffxfirerescue handled the fire.” [Dave Statter/X]
Man Rescued After Falling in Potomac River — “An Alexandria resident is hoping to find the people who assisted him in a water rescue emergency at Jones Point Park in Old Town over the weekend … Because the resident lost his eyeglasses in the river, he had trouble seeing the faces of his rescuers.” [ALXnow]
Potomac School Name Causes Confusion — “The Potomac School and McLean School are located, not surprisingly, in the DC suburbs of Potomac and McLean. Except the Potomac School sits not in Potomac … but rather in McLean. McLean School? You’ll find it — where else? — in Potomac. This counterintuitive situation has led to some confusion.” [Washingtonian]
Libertarian Challenging Beyer — “Shelly Arnoldi understands the uphill battle for anyone taking on [Rep. Don] Beyer in a district that, in recent years, has been a Democratic political fortress. However, she says her effort to unseat him will bring important issues into the local political discussion.” [ARLnow]
New Legal Notice — Public notice: intent to conduct business under assumed name. [Public Notices]
It’s Wednesday — It’ll be mostly sunny with a high near 91°F and light, variable winds becoming easterly at about 6 mph in the afternoon. Night will bring a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, with mostly cloudy skies and a low around 75°F. [NWS]
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