Countywide

Nonprofit Shut Down for Candy Bar Sales Scheme — “Attorneys General from D.C., Maryland and Virginia announced on Tuesday that two local non-profits will shut down permanently for exploiting kids from low-income neighborhoods selling candy bars door-to-door without proof of compensation.” An investigation found that leaders of Maryland Youth Club and Virginia Youth Club, which is based in Fairfax County, was using the funds raised for their personal benefit. [WUSA9]

Defense Calls Witnesses in Double Murder Trial — “The defense attorney for Brendan Banfield, accused in the murder of his wife and a stranger in an alleged plot to end up in a relationship with the family au pair, started calling witnesses, including experts in digital forensics, to testify early Wednesday.” Judge Penney Azcarate noted at the end of the day that the courthouse could close early next week if there’s a lot of snow this weekend, but the trial remains “ahead of schedule.” [DC News Now]

Voting Access Bills Advance — “With the 2026 General Assembly session in full swing, Democrats on Tuesday advanced a slate of voting and campaign finance measures aimed at expanding access to the ballot box and increasing transparency in elections,” including one sponsored by Del. Paul Krizek that would establish an online campaign finance portal similar to the platform currently offered by the Virginia Public Access Project. [Virginia Mercury]

New Va. Attorney General Outlines Vision — “Jay Jones took swift action after taking the oath of office on Saturday and becoming the Commonwealth of Virginia’s 49th attorney general. The Democrat joined on to several existing state lawsuits against President Donald Trump’s administration and reversed several opinions issued by his Republican predecessor,” following through on a campaign promise to “push back against federal overreach.” [VPM News]

Former Reality TV Star Challenges Warner — “Another candidate has entered a challenge against Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) in the lawmaker’s first primary election in his 18 years on the Senate. Mark Moran, a former reality television star and Wall Street investment banker who lives in Falls Church,” says he would prioritize cost-of-living issues if elected and support abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, among other plans. [ARLnow]

Theft Reported at Home Depot in Fairfax — “City of Fairfax police are asking the public’s help in identifying two men who they say stole $1,284 worth of merchandise from a city business on Friday. On Tuesday, police released photos of the two men who stole the merchandise from the Home Depot store located at 3201 Blenheim Blvd.” [Patch]

Police Facility Nearing Construction Finish — “The Fairfax County Police Department’s new building for its Operations Support Bureau is expected to open in February, says project manager James Sun. That’s three years after the facility, at 3911 Woodburn Road in Annandale, was originally supposed to be completed.” [Annandale Today]

Burlington Possibly Coming to Chantilly — “A new store is planned for Chantilly Crossing. The shopping center will soon be home to Burlington, which is set to take over part of the space previously occupied by Office Depot and Party City,” according to a site plan from property owner Kite Realty Group Trust. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 51, with southwest winds at 7 to 10 mph shifting to the west in the afternoon and gusting up to 20 mph. As for Thursday night, it will be partly cloudy with a low around 29 and a light northwest wind at 3 to 6 mph. [NWS]

N. Va. Democrats Hopeful After Inauguration — “Northern Virginia Democrats were in high spirits at the inauguration of Gov. Abigail Spanberger this weekend, looking toward new opportunities for a variety of bills held back by the previous administration. Legislators and political observers expect fewer vetoes and more collaboration with Democratic policymakers.” [ARLnow]

Big Snow Storm Possible This Weekend — “Confidence is increasing that there will be a ‘significant’ winter storm Saturday into Sunday along the Interstate 95 corridor, including the D.C. region and the rest of the mid-Atlantic, according to the National Weather Service … The storm is on track to begin in the D.C. region Saturday afternoon, peak Saturday night into Sunday, and end Monday.” [WTOP]

Virginia U.S. Attorney Ousted — “Lindsey Halligan, a Trump administration lawyer who was named head of a key U.S. attorney’s office in Virginia last year with instructions to seek criminal charges against President Donald Trump’s political adversaries, left her post at the Justice Department on Tuesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi said.” [Washington Post]

New Members Appointed to GMU Board — “Shortly after being sworn in on Saturday, Gov. Abigail Spanberger appointed members to the Boards of Visitors for George Mason University, the University of Virginia, and Virginia Military Institute. She also ordered a review of the higher-ed board confirmation process, which was the center of contention between lawmakers and the previous gubernatorial administration last year.” [Virginia Mercury]

Progress on American Legion Bridge Overhaul — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore say they’ve “made significant progress” on an agreement to accelerate rebuilds of the Francis Scott Key and American Legion bridges. For the American Legion Bridge in particular, they say they will “leverage innovative approaches like a public private partnership” to move the project forward. [FOX5]

Dog Reunited With Family After Almost Three Years — “A dog was reunited with his family in Maryland last week after he went missing almost three years ago. The Fairfax County Animal Shelter said animal services officers responded to a call about a stray dog and ‘they had no idea they were about to help reunite a long-missing pet!'” [DC News Now]

Reston Native Coaches College Championship Team — “A former NFL coach from Reston was one of the coaches that helped lead the Indiana University football team to its first national championship on Monday night. The Hoosiers defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 27-21, and finished the season with a perfect 16-0 record.” A graduate of South Lakes High School, Ola Adams was in his second season as Indiana’s safeties coach. [Patch]

Ethiopian Market Coming to Bailey’s Crossroads — “An Ethiopian food shop called Nazret Market #4 is expected to open in Bailey’s Crossroads next month, says owner Aftataw (Mamush) Muluneh. The shop, at 5810 Seminary Road, will offer spices, meat, grains, and other items imported from Ethiopia.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Wednesday — Clouds will gradually increase throughout the day, reaching a high near 40°F, accompanied by a southeast wind that will shift south at 9-14 mph in the morning and gust up to 25 mph. At night, expect partly cloudy skies with a low around 33°F. [NWS]

New Governor’s First Executive Orders — Following her inauguration on Saturday (Jan. 17), “Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed 10 executive actions that broadly targeted affordability and pushed the commonwealth away from former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s approaches to education, immigration and race.” [VPM News]

Polls Open for House District 17 Election — “Residents in parts of Fairfax County will head to the polls on Tuesday, Jan. 20, to fill a vacancy in the District 17 House of Delegates seat. District 17 includes communities in Franconia, Huntington, Kingstowne, and Rose Hill.” Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. as Democratic nominee Garrett McGuire and Republican Christopher Cardiff compete to succeed longtime delegate Mark Sickles. [WUSA9]

Gun Brandished at Springfield Town Center — “Springfield Town Center in Virginia was locked down for 45 minutes Saturday night after an individual showed a gun during an incident. Police said they got a report of a ‘domestic-related brandishing’ incident just before 8:10 p.m.” There was no evidence any shots were fired. [WTOP]

Trooper Injured in American Legion Bridge Crash — “A Virginia State Police trooper and police dog suffered minor injuries in a crash during a pursuit Friday morning on Interstate 495. At approximately 3:38 a.m., the trooper spotted a vehicle on Interstate 95 northbound near Fairfax County Parkway traveling at 90 mph, Virginia State Police spokesman Matthew Demlein said in a news release.” [Inside NoVA]

DOJ Sues Va. for Voter Data — “The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday sued Virginia for not handing over state voter data, the latest among several states the department has targeted in an effort to retrieve registration information from individuals across the country since last year.” [The Hill]

Cause of Burke Centre House Fire Found — A house fire that occurred on New Year’s Day in the 5500 block of Corot Court was caused by an “electrical event” in the home’s basement, Fairfax County fire investigators have determined. No injuries to firefighters or the three occupants were reported, but “sadly, two cats died in the fire,” which resulted in an estimated $147,750 in property damages. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]

Former NBA Player Arrested — “Former NBA player Delonte West, who once played a key role on the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, has been arrested and charged with robbery and assault in Fairfax County, Virginia. West, 42, was arrested after the reported assault and robbery on Dec. 21 around 6:40 a.m. in the 5900 block of Richmond Highway in Belle Haven.” [WTOP]

FCPS Teacher Joins 5th House District Race — “Voters in [today’s] Democratic firehouse primary will have four candidates to choose from after Fairfax County Public Schools teacher Gregory Darrall entered the race this weekend … The candidates are competing to run for Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker’s seat” after she resigned to campaign for outgoing state Sen. Adam Ebbin’s 39th Senate District seat. [ALXnow]

Recommendations for Reston Visitors — “Today, it’s noted for its open-air town center, green spaces, arts and culture, and walking and biking trails that make it easy to get around Reston. Book a room at the Hyatt Regency Reston to be at the center of the action when you come to explore. Here’s what to do on your next visit to Reston.” [Southern Living]

It’s Tuesday — The weather will be sunny, reaching a high of 29 degrees, accompanied by a west wind blowing at 9 to 11 mph and gusts up to 24 mph. The night will be mostly clear with a low temperature of 17 degrees and light variable winds. [NWS]

Early Voting for School Board Election Begins — Early voting starts today (Friday) at the Fairfax County Government Center for the Braddock District school board special election, which has Democratic-endorsed candidate Tom Dannan and independent candidate Saundra Davis squaring off. In addition, tomorrow is the last day to vote early in the Jan. 20 special election for the 17th House District. [Fairfax County Office of Elections/Bluesky]

Virginia Child Dies From Flu — “Flu season has taken a grim turn in Virginia, as the state’s health department has reported the first death of a child caused by complications associated with influenza. In order to protect the family’s privacy, the only information the Virginia Department of Health is releasing about the child is that they were age 4 or younger and that the death was reported in the eastern region.” [WTOP]

Pimmit Hills Apartment Complex Sold — “An affiliate of Brookfield, Wisconsin’s MLG Capital acquired PeachTree of McLean on Peach Orchard Drive in a deal that closed in mid-December, according to public records.” The $100 million sales price exceeds the property’s assessed value of $81.7 million. “Bozzuto announced in early January it had taken over management of the property.” [Washington Business Journal]

Right-to-Work Repeal Unlikely This Year — “Representatives of both the business community and organized labor voiced skepticism at a recent forum that an end to Virginia’s right-to-work law is on the horizon for 2026 … Despite the views of those leaders, Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy (D-33) has introduced legislation to effectively eliminate Virginia’s restrictions impacting unionization in the commonwealth.” [ARLnow]

Private School Expansion Approved — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 13 approved a project to expand the Phillips Programs, a nonprofit that operates a private school in Annandale for students with behavioral health challenges and developmental disabilities.” [Annandale Today]

McLean Therapy Provider Lands Funds for Expansion — “Positive Development Inc. has secured $45 million in new funding, just six months after raking in more than $50 million to expand its autism therapy to more kids. The company said the latest capital injection positions it to accelerate a national expansion.” It’s also expanding locally with centers coming to Fairfax, Woodbridge and Springfield as well as Maryland locations. [WBJ]

First Hike People’s Choice Winner Chosen — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is thrilled to announce Nathan Kennedy as the winner of the People’s Choice Award for the 2026 First Hike Fairfax Photo Contest. His captivating photo, taken at Huntley Meadows Park, received the highest number of online votes submitted by residents from across the county.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]

Park Authority Seeks Earth Day Vendors — “Join us for Fairfax County’s largest Earth Day celebration! The annual event, which draws thousands of visitors, will take place on Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lake Fairfax Park in Reston. Applications are now being accepted” for retail vendors and exhibitors until Feb. 23, though the window for food vendors has already closed.” [FCPA]

New Legal Notice — Public hearing on school boundaries January 22, 2026, 6:15 p.m. [Public Notices]

It’s Friday — Clouds will increase today, bringing a high temperature near 37 degrees and a southern wind of 7 to 10 mph. Tonight, there’s a 30% chance of snow showers after 1am, with the clouds continuing to increase. The low temperature will be around 32 degrees, accompanied by a southern wind at 8 mph. [NWS]

FBI Searches WaPo Reporter’s Home — “Hannah Natanson, who has been covering President Donald Trump’s transformation of the federal government, had a phone, two laptops and a Garmin watch seized in the search of her Virginia home, the Post reported.” The Justice Department said the search was “part of a leak investigation into a Pentagon contractor accused of taking home classified information,” but Post Executive Editor Matt Murray called the action “deeply concerning” in a message to employees. [Associated Press]

Democrats Choose 39th Senate District Nominee — “Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) has been declared the winner in a firehouse primary for Virginia’s 39th District Senate seat, defeating three opponents with 70.6% of the 4,647 ballots cast.” A special election to choose a successor to state Sen. Adam Ebbin, who will resign on Feb. 18, has been set for Feb. 10. [ALXnow]

Va. House Passes Constitutional Amendments — “Virginia House Democrats wasted little time flexing their new majority on the opening day of the 2026 General Assembly, pushing through four proposed constitutional amendments Wednesday aimed at” protecting abortion rights, restoring voting rights for people convicted of felonies, removing a defunct ban on same-sex marriage and setting up a voter referendum on mid-cycle redistricting. [Virginia Mercury]

Wanted Man Arrested After I-495 Chase — “A man arrested after a brief car chase with Fairfax County police on Tuesday was previously wanted on several charges, including a felony, according to police officials.” The man was spotted on I-495 in the Huntington area in a car with a female driver. “Officials said the man was wanted for felony abduction and several other charges, while the woman faces an alluding charge.” [WJLA]

McLean Company to Support NASA — “NASA has selected a McLean-based company to provide launch range operations support at its Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia … Under the contract, ARES Technical Services Corporation, which is headquartered in McLean, will provide technical and operational support for launch range activities at Wallops.” [Center Square/Inside NoVA]

Dulles Adding Nonstop Taiwan Flights — “EVA Airways [on Monday, Jan. 13] announced that it plans to launch a new flight service to Washington in July, making it the first Taiwanese carrier to provide direct flights to the US capital. The airline plans to provide four flights to Washington in the initial stage using Boeing 787-9s, EVA Airways president Clay Sun told reporters in Taipei.” [Taipei Times]

Metro Swag in Demand — “While the Commanders flounder and Nats rebuild, our transit system is winning — breaking record ridership numbers and releasing merch that’s hotter than a Red Line rail at rush hour … Demand for Metro merch was up 300% in 2025, year over year, according to WMATA.” [Axios DC]

Art Contest to Encourage Glass Recycling — “Fairfax County is launching an art contest with the goal of educating kids in Mason District about the benefits of recycling glass. The contest is open to students in grades 6-12 who attend a school in the Justice, Annandale, or Falls Church high school pyramids.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high of 32 degrees with a west wind at 17 mph, gusting up to 30 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear with a low of 22 degrees, a west wind of 9 to 14 mph, and gusts up to 26 mph. [NWS]