Facing funding threats at both the state and federal levels, Fairfax County leaders have publicly maintained confidence in their policies banning voluntary cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
As President Donald Trump’s administration began ramping up ICE activities to support his campaign threats of mass deportations, however, the Fairfax County Police Department quietly revised its policy governing officer interactions with immigrants.
A new initiative reporting crime data from across the D.C. region in “near-real time” has won praise from local leaders and will provide new tools for policymakers, public safety agencies and the public.
“It’s the only one we’re aware of in the nation,” said Eli Russ, a senior public safety planner for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), who serves as project manager for the effort.
Air Quality Alert Issued — “The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) has forecast a Code Orange air day for tomorrow, June 12” in the D.C. region. Ozone pollution is expected to make the air “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” who are advised to limit outdoor activities and watch for symptoms of respiratory issues. [COG]
Police ID Body Found in Tysons — “Fairfax County Police have confirmed the body recovered Tuesday in a retention pond near Tysons Galleria is 19-year-old Kyle Coleman from Prince William County. The Morehouse College student went missing after a car crash last Friday night near Tysons Galleria.” [NBC4]
Possible ICE Raids Coming — “Northern Virginia is reportedly among the ‘five cities run by Democratic leaders’ that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is preparing to deploy tactical units to, according to MSNBC.” The other cities are New York City, Seattle, Chicago and Philadelphia. [ALXnow]
Metro Service Plans for Army Parade — Metro has announced its service plans for the Army’s 250th birthday celebration and parade on Saturday (June 14). “Metrorail is running Saturday service frequencies. Trains run every 4-6 minutes at most core stations during the day. At stations further out, trains arrive anywhere from every 8 minutes to every 12 minutes.” [WMATA]
Police Investigate Robbery — A Fairfax County police helicopter “briefly” circled around Annandale yesterday (Wednesday) to assist with a robbery report at 12:04 p.m., in the 7100 block of Murray Lane. Police said an unidentified man “approached the victim and forcefully took a piece of jewelry from them. Detectives are on scene investigating.” [FCPD]
Fairfax City Trail Project Moves Forward — “Fairfax City Council voted 5 to 1 Tuesday night not to adopt the hybrid option for the George Snyder Trail Project, which would have only built the western portion of the trail.” After a failed vote to cancel the project, the council voted 4-2 to construct the trail as previously approved. [Patch]
Military Bases Return to Old Names — “Seven Army bases whose names were changed in 2023 because they honored Confederate leaders are all reverting back to their original names, the Army said Tuesday.” That includes forts A.P. Hill, Pickett and Robert E. Lee in Virginia, though the monikers in each case now officially refer to service members who share the same last names. [Associated Press]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 93 during the day, with a calm wind turning west around 5 mph in the afternoon. On Thursday night, it will be partly cloudy with a low around 71, with the south wind at 5 mph calming down in the evening. [NWS]
New home sales data for Fairfax County and the D.C. region show continued buyer wariness, but there’s no sense of impending doom.
“The [region’s] housing market has been slower-than-typical this spring, but it has fared much better than some expected in the face of cuts to the federal workforce and general economic uncertainty,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist for Bright MLS, the region’s multiple-listing service.
Fairfax County leaders are tapping the brakes on a plan to potentially oversee trash collection in single-family neighborhoods countywide.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay announced yesterday (Tuesday) that a planned June 24 public hearing on the proposal to establish unified sanitation districts will be delayed until Oct. 14.
Jury Deliberates on Student’s Fatal Shooting — “Jurors began deliberations Tuesday afternoon in the case of a Fairfax County man accused of fatally shooting a Herndon teenager last year. Ismael Cruz-Delcid, 19, was charged last March with first-degree murder for the death of 14-year-old Michai Malave,” who was shot in the Sonesta Extended Stay Suites parking lot in McNair. [WUSA9]
Herndon Bear Relocated — “Thank you to @VirginiaDWR Conservation Police and biologists for safely capturing and relocating our beloved Elden the Bear! We will miss you Elden. You brought us such joy and excitement!” [Herndon Police/X]
Halal Eatery Opens in Annandale — “A new fast-casual dining spot, called Blazin Halal From The Streets of NYC, is now open in Annandale. Located at 4367 John Marr Drive in the Eastgate Shopping Center, Blazin Halal offers jerk chicken burritos, rice platters, spicy smash burgers, New York-style chicken and waffles, and gyros, among other items.” [Annandale Today]
How Much Money Toll Lanes Produce — “Northern Virginia has five separate private-public operators of the toll roads. They operate the Dulles Greenway, Dulles Tollway, 95/495/395 Express Lanes, and I-66 … WUSA9 called and emailed all of the companies that run the tollways. We added the revenue from 2024 (or the most recent available), and it equates to around $580 million a year.” [WUSA9]
Anti-Trump Protest Planned in Reston — “Protesters in Reston and across the country will take to the streets Saturday in ‘No Kings’ rallies nationwide to coincide with a military parade commemorating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary that falls on Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.” In Reston, demonstrations are planned from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3-5 p.m. [Patch]
Vienna to Add Four-Way Stop — “Soon the intersection of Glyndon Street SE and Adahi Road SE will become a four-way stop thanks to a recent traffic study from the Town’s Public Work Department. Crews will begin installing two new stop signs at the intersection beginning this Wednesday, June 11, at 8 a.m. Please use caution when traveling in the area.” [Town of Vienna/Instagram]
Herndon Student’s ‘Miracle’ Recovery — “James started his senior year at Herndon High School unclear if he’d ever be able to walk again. But, through multiple surgeries, grueling physical therapy sessions and a motivation to end his high school career on a stage, he ended the year with the lead role in the school’s production of ‘Footloose,’ dancing and kicking his feet around.” [WTOP]
Reston Contractor Gets Second Chance — “CACI International has won another shot at a $428 million Defense Logistics Agency competitions after complaining about how the agency evaluated proposals. The company was eliminated from the competition for a task order to help modernize financial management capabilities across several defense agencies.” [Washington Technology]
It’s Wednesday — Expect widespread haze after 11am followed by sunny skies and a high temperature near 87. The calm wind will turn west around 6 mph in the afternoon. For Wednesday night, the sky will be mostly clear and the low temperature will be around 67 with a calm wind. [NWS]
Fairfax County Public Library’s annual Summer Reading Adventure is back.
Kids and adults alike will be able to start logging books and activities tomorrow (Wednesday), though registration for the program has been open since June 4.
Pedestrian Injured in Crash — Fairfax County police responded last night (Monday) to a “pedestrian crash involving two vehicles at Gallows Road and Prosperity Avenue in Merrifield. The pedestrian, an adult female, was taken to the hospital in life-threatening condition. Both drivers remained on scene.” [FCPD/X]
Man Missing After Tysons Crash — “A Virginia family’s concern is growing after their young adult son was involved in a crash late Friday night and has been missing ever since. Two police departments are now searching for 19-year-old Kyle Coleman, who was driving a Toyota Yaris when his car left the roadway near a mall in the Tysons area, off Galleria Drive.” [NBC4]
Va. Aggressive on Immigrant Detentions — “Virginia is one of five states where efforts to arrest and remove unauthorized immigrants appear most aggressive, according to an Axios analysis … Fairfax County was in the top 10 U.S. localities for most immigrants ordered removed (504).” [Axios Richmond]
Local Breweries to Merge — “Bunnyman Brewing and Mustang Sally Brewing announced on social media that they are merging. Mustang Sally will begin operating under the Bunnyman brand as its third location.” Mustang Sally says its beers will still be on tap, and “the team you trust is still behind the bar.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Alexandria Seeks to Delay I-495 Toll Lanes — “Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins and city staff are asking that the Virginia Department of Transportation delay approval of a preferred alternative on a plan to add express lanes from the Springfield Interchange across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.” A final public hearing on the proposal will be held in the city tomorrow (Wednesday). [ALXnow]
Push for Free Tax Filing Gains Support — Fifteen years after Virginia shelved its state tax filing app, the General Assembly passed a bill from Del. Kathy Tran that would create a new program and require Virginia to join the IRS’ Direct File system for federal taxes, though the legislation was vetoed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. [Virginia Mercury]
Church Prepares for Renovation — “First Christian Church in Seven Corners is planning to create a community hub as part of a major renovation project. The upgrade will coincide with the construction of apartments for seniors next to the church.” The affordable housing project is expected to break ground in January 2026 and will include a new home for the Culmore Clinic. [Annandale Today]
Food Rally in Herndon — “StarKist, Feed the Children, and Cornerstones partnered with Floris United Methodist Church in Herndon, VA, to host their Fourth Annual Summer Food and Resource Rally [on Friday, June 6], providing hunger relief to 400 underserved families in the region.” Volunteers collected and distributed more than 8,300 meals at the now-annual event. [StarKist]
It’s Tuesday — Showers and thunderstorms are likely before 3pm, followed by a gradual clearing of clouds and a high near 83. Precipitation chance is 40%. Tonight, possible showers and thunderstorms between 7-8pm, partly cloudy skies and a low of 64. Precipitation chance is 30%. [NWS]
Northern Virginia political leaders at the local and state levels seem to have a firm dollar figure associated with the proposal to improve Metro service across the region. There remains a question, however, regarding whether they’ll be able to come up with the funding.
The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) is preparing to adopt a resolution on July 17 acknowledging that Virginia will need to commit an additional $153 million in fiscal year 2027 to implement operational upgrades and keep the transit system on track.
School Gets Permanent Weapons Scanners — Weapons detection scanners have been installed at Annandale High School and will be in place permanently at all Fairfax County high schools at the start of the 2025-2026 school year. “Fairfax County Public Schools launched a pilot program for weapon detectors this spring, which included a one-day test run at Annandale’s main entrance on May 15.” [Annandale Today]
I-66 Shooter Sentenced — “A road rage clash on I-66 in Northern Virginia nearly claimed multiple lives and left two newlyweds who were expecting a baby shot and wounded. In a story you’ll only see on News4, the couple spoke for the first time about the moment a driver opened fire – and why they’re infuriated by what they called a light sentence for the shooter.” [NBC4]
Reston California Tortilla Closed — “The slow, inexorable disappearance of California Tortilla restaurants in the area continues with the news that the location in Reston has closed its doors. The closure of the California Tortilla in the North Point Village Center reportedly happened in late April.” [The Burn]
New George Snyder Trail Option on Table — The Fairfax City Council will vote tomorrow (Tuesday) on whether to proceed with the approved alignment for the controversial George Snyder Trail, scrap the project or submit an alternate plan to VDOT “that would move the western end of the trail from an off-road path to an on-road path along the University Drive Extension, using wider sidewalks and shared-use paths.” [Patch]
McLean Burglaries Under Investigation — “Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division are seeking the community’s assistance in identifying three suspects connected to two burglaries in McLean.” One burglary reportedly occurred in the 6500 block of Ivy Hill Drive around 3 p.m. on May 15, and around 3:15 p.m. that day, the same people allegedly tried unsuccessfully to break into a home in the 2000 block of Powhatan Street. [FCPD]
Fairfax City to Remove Invasive Plants — “Beginning June 9, patrons at two Fairfax City parks will see debris from non-native invasive plant removal projects. The city has contracted with Invasive Plant Control, Inc., to work periodically at Van Dyck and Kutner parks throughout the summer months.” [City of Fairfax]
Michelin Apparently Unimpressed by Virginia Food — “The $120,000 a year Michelin wanted to charge Virginia to be in its forthcoming Southern restaurant guide was steeply discounted compared with what other Southern states are paying.” Documents suggest the discount was offered because the state’s culinary scene was deemed lacking in “maturity.” [Axios Richmond]
FCPS Worker Retires After 50 Years — “Joyce Sisk started working at Bailey’s Elementary School in 1972 as a cafeteria hostess. At first, she would walk across the street from her house to the school with her three children. This year, Sisk will cross the street for one last time as a Fairfax County Public School employee.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Monday — Patchy fog will clear by 10am, followed by cloudy skies with a high near 82. Night brings a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms, especially after 11pm, with increasing clouds and a low around 68. Expect new precipitation amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. [NWS]
