Countywide

Protest Organized Outside Tysons Tesla Dealership — “About 80 people demonstrated outside the Tysons Corner Tesla dealership on Saturday morning to condemn billionaire Elon Musk’s attempts to advance President Donald Trump’s agenda by closing federal agencies and firing thousands of government workers.” [Patch]

Bank Robbed in Lorton — Fairfax County detectives are investigating a robbery that appears to have targeted the Truist bank in Gunston Plaza at 3:15 p.m. on Monday (March 17). “A man entered the bank and displayed a note to the teller demanding money. No weapon was displayed, but one was implied during the robbery. The suspect took cash and fled before officers’ arrival.” [FCPD]

Two Silver Line Stations Hit Ridership Records — “Last Wednesday, two of our Silver Line stations hit new single-day ridership records. Thank you to our customers traveling through Loudoun Gateway in @loudoun.gov and Herndon in Fairfax County!” [WMATA/Bluesky]

How Federal Education Cuts Might Affect Va. Schools — “Public school districts still face potential federal funding cuts following President Donald Trump’s move to slash U.S. Department of Education staffing in half … If entirely eliminated, Virginia schools would need to fill a $2.4 billion funding gap with new sources.” [Virginia Public Media]

Attorney General Candidate Visits Bailey’s Crossroads — “Jay Jones, a Democratic candidate for Virginia attorney general, promises to fight back against policies from President Trump and ‘co-President Elon Musk’ that hurt Virginians. ‘The chaos in Washington has to be stopped,’ Jones told residents at a meet-and-greet in Bailey’s Crossroads on March 16.” [Annandale Today]

Falls Church Council Still Debating Accessory Unit Rules — “Significant divisions remain as Falls Church City Council members approach final-decision time to enact rules regulating accessory-dwelling units.” Questions that need to be resolved include the “maximum size of accessory units and whether the property owner should be required to live on the site.” [ARLnow]

Origin Story of Reston Restaurant Group — “Not only did the entrepreneur make good on that promise, but today his Reston-based Thompson Hospitality employs more than 6,000 people and owns and operates more than 70 restaurants across Virginia, Maryland, Florida, Ohio, and Washington, DC, with familiar names like Matchbox and Big Buns.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Students Restore Old Car for School Musical — Students in Edison Academy’s Auto Collision Services class were recently tasked with spiffing up the front of a 1949 Ford automobile for the upcoming production of “Grease” at Edison High School in Franconia. The vehicle was purchased by the Edison Theater Company’s boosters and delivered from the Midwest. [On the MoVe]

It’s Wednesday — Expect a mostly sunny day, reaching a high of around 74, as light southeast winds shift to the south at 8 to 13 mph in the morning, with potential gusts up to 18 mph. The night will turn mostly cloudy, with lows around 48, and southeast winds at about 10 mph, gusting up to 22 mph. [NWS]

Police Revive Traffic Safety Initiative — “The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) and Virginia State Police (VSP) are proud to announce the launch of the 2025 ‘Road Shark’ campaign — a continued effort to deter aggressive driving, reduce crashes, and promote safer roads across Fairfax County.” The 2024 enforcement campaign led to 34,687 citations and warnings. [FCPD]

Senators Urge Youngkin to Sign Paid Leave Bill — “Senator Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax) and Delegate Briana Sewell (D-Prince William) joined advocates and impacted Virginians Monday to call on Gov. Glenn Youngkin to sign legislation establishing a statewide Paid Family and Medical Leave program … The governor has one week from Monday to either sign or veto the bill.” [WUSA9]

FCPD Credits Tech Innovation With Boosting Recruitment — “Applicants to the Fairfax County Police Department increased 10% in 2024, according to police data, and the agency suspects its emphasis on emerging technology could be behind the boost.” Deputy Chief Wilson Lee says the county’s Criminal Justice Academy is the first in the state to embrace artificial intelligence in training. [WTOP]

TD Bank to Close Two Local Branches — TD Bank’s branches in Reston (1750 North Hampton Avenue) and Centreville (6200 Multiplex Drive) are set to close effective June 5, along with 36 other locations on the East Coast. A spokesperson said the company regularly evaluates its branches “to better align our network of stores with customer needs and preferences.” [Patch]

More Details on Proposed Office Depot Redevelopment — “A 9-story apartment building with first floor retail, including an anchor grocery store, has been proposed under Fairfax County’s 2025 Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) process for the nearly two-acre triangular site between Richmond Highway and North Kings Highway.” [On the MoVe]

“Lights Out for Birds” Campaign Underway — “As birds begin their migration this spring, the county is supporting the ‘Lights Out for Birds’ campaign led by the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance. The alliance … encourages residents and businesses to reduce excessive outdoor nighttime lighting from 11 p.m. through 6 a.m., March 15 to May 31 — the peak of spring bird migration.” [Fairfax County Government]

Fairfax County Spelling Bee Coming Up — “Nearly 90 young spellers from across Fairfax County and the city of Alexandria will compete Sunday in the 2025 Fairfax County Spelling Bee. Both the winner and the runner-up of the bee will go on to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in late May at the Gaylord Hotel in National Harbor.” [Inside NoVA]

‘The Office’ Star Boosts Local Nonprofit — “Mount Vernon-based charity Alice’s Kids recently got a little star-power boost. And it was all thanks to a viral video from a longtime supporter — actor and comedian Steve Carell … Carell created a video telling 800 Los Angeles–area high school students that their prom tickets would be paid for in partnership with Alice’s Kids.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 65, accompanied by a northwest wind of around 7 mph. The clear night will see temperatures dipping to a low of approximately 45, with calm winds. [NWS]

Supervisor Herrity Recovering From Surgery — Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity underwent surgery on Thursday (March 13) for a hereditary heart condition discovered after he experienced medical issues earlier last week. Herrity, who hopes to become Virginia’s next lieutenant governor, says he’s expected to fully recover but will be “sidelined from the campaign trail” for a few weeks. [Pat Herrity/Facebook]

Trump to Halt FBI HQ Move Again — “In a speech Friday at the Department of Justice, President Donald Trump (R) said he would stop plans to build the new FBI headquarters in Maryland because it’s ‘three hours away’ from the agency’s current site.” Maryland leaders said they will continue fighting for a relocation to Greenbelt, which was chosen over potential sites in Springfield and Landover. [Maryland Matters]

Man Banned from Flying United After Punching Dulles Worker — “A Frederick man punched a United Airlines gate agent at Dulles International Airport Thursday night, hospitalizing him. The shocking swing was caught on camera in a video shared with WUSA9.” The 54-year-old man has been charged with assault and disorderly conduct. [WUSA9]

WaPo Sportswriter Dies in McLean — “John Feinstein, a Washington Post sportswriter who became the best-selling author of more than 40 books, including “A Season on the Brink,” an inside look at volatile Indiana University men’s basketball coach Bob Knight, died March 13 at his brother’s home in McLean, Virginia. He was 69.” [Washington Post]

Local Contractor Charged with Fraud — “A Fairfax County, Virginia, contractor faces criminal charges for allegedly taking money from clients but never doing any work.” The owner of Capital Pro Services is facing six criminal charges related to three cases, including two involving homeowners they paid for construction that was never started. [NBC4]

D.C. Area Population Is Growing — “The Washington metro region is growing faster than the country overall, per the U.S. Census Bureau. The number of DMV residents dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic, per Census data, hurting everything from the office market to the restaurant scene. But the region has since bounced back — and then some.” [Axios DC]

Vienna Man Bites Officer, Police Say — “Officers responding to the report of an intoxicated man located the man lying on the ground. The man aggressively ran toward one of the officers attempting to assault him. As the officer was taking him into custody, the man bit the officer.” The 33-year-old man was arrested and charged with assaulting a law enforcement officer and obstructing justice. [Vienna Police]

Speed Humps Planned for Mount Vernon Road — “Slowly but surely, Radford Avenue — a residential road connecting Richmond Highway with the neighborhood of Mount Zephyr — is getting safer. The section of Radford between Route 1 and Jackson Place, an approximately one-third-mile segment of road, is getting two speed humps, according to the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT).” [On the MoVe]

It’s Monday — Expect partly sunny skies with temperatures reaching a high around 56°F, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 15 to 17 mph, and gusts peaking at 28 mph. As night falls, the sky will be mostly clear, with the temperature dropping to about 36°F. [NWS]

Racist Graffiti Reported in Burke — “Fairfax County police are investigating racist and antisemitic graffiti spray painted near a school bus stop in Burke, Virginia. The graffiti was discovered Wednesday morning on utility boxes and neighborhood signs at the corner of Burke Centre Parkway and Wheaton Drive.” [NBC4]

Regional Leaders Seek to Step Up Response to Trump Admin — “After weeks of playing defense, some D.C.-area leaders are now considering a more aggressive approach to the Trump administration.” Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw stressed at a COG meeting that the region needs to “continue to fight.” [ARLnow]

Police Seek Tips in Missing Woman Case — “City of Fairfax Police are asking the public’s help in locating Amanda L. Childess. She has not been heard from since she disappeared on March 6, 2022 under suspicious circumstances. Investigators have gathered evidence that indicates Childess may have been the victim of foul play, according to police.” [Patch]

Relief Available for Businesses Affected by Drought — “Fairfax County small businesses hit by last July’s drought still have time to get help. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering low-interest loans to businesses suffering financial losses, but you must apply before April 7, 2025.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Court Renovations Coming to Wakefield Park — “The Fairfax County Park Authority plans to renovate the tennis and pickleball courts at Wakefield Park in Annandale and expand the number of dedicated pickleball courts. Construction is expected to begin in early April.” [Annandale Today]

Free Lyft Rides Offered for St. Patrick’s Day — “The Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) is offering free Lyfts this Saturday, March 15, through Monday, March 17. WRAP’s 2025 St. Patrick’s Day SoberRide program hopes to prevent drunk driving throughout the area.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Agreement to Preserve Historic Oakton Schoolhouse — “On March 7, 2025, the Fairfax County Park Authority and the Greater Oakton Community Association officially finalized a Memorandum of Agreement to support the historic Oakton Schoolhouse … Under the MOA, GOCA will use the Oakton Schoolhouse for events, meetings, rentals, historical presentations, classes, theater productions and educational programs.” [FCPA]

It’s Friday — Patchy fog will dissipate by 9am, leading to initially cloudy conditions that will gradually become mostly sunny with the temperature reaching around 59. For Friday night, patchy fog will return after 3am. The sky will see increasing clouds, and temperatures will drop to around 44. [NWS]