Almost two years after talks of a casino in Fairfax County’s Silver Line corridor emerged, prospective developer Comstock Companies has publicly commented for the first time on its plan for a gaming and entertainment hub in Tysons.
The proposal represents “an opportunity to bring an entertainment anchor” to Tysons, Comstock Executive Vice President for Development John Harrison told community members Tuesday (Jan. 7) at an online forum hosted by the Fairfax County NAACP.
Fairfax County Police Help Escort Jimmy Carter Funeral — “Today, our officers proudly assisted with the escort for President Jimmy Carter’s funeral in Washington, D.C. It was an honor to be part of this historic moment as we paid tribute to a lifetime of service and leadership.” [FCPD/Facebook]
No Weather Delay for County Government Offices — “Fairfax County Government offices are open on Wednesday, Jan. 8, however employees have been granted unscheduled leave. Teleworkers are expected to telework or use personal leave. Emergency service personnel should report as scheduled.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]
General Assembly Start Postponed — “The water crisis in Richmond is forcing the Virginia General Assembly to delay the start of its legislative session. Both the House and Senate will meet briefly at noon Wednesday before going on a recess until Monday, Jan. 13.” [WTVR]
Virginia Flag Becomes Protest Symbol in Korea — “The Virginia state flag is becoming a symbol of resistance in South Korea, where impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol faces abuse of power charges.” A flag outside Gwangju’s City Hall was originally gifted to the city by Gov. Glenn Youngkin after a November visit “about cooperating in the agricultural sector.” [Axios Richmond]
Washington Post Hit With Layoffs — “The Washington Post laid off nearly its entire public relations department in its sweeping layoffs on Tuesday as it moves away from promoting the paper’s journalism.” The newspaper cut about 4% of its staff, including 73 people from the advertising department, but left the newsroom untouched. [The Daily Beast]
What to Expect From Route 1 Widening This Year — “According to VDOT, the Phase I right-of-way (ROW) process has begun for partial property acquisitions between Jeff Todd Way/Mount Vernon Memorial Highway and just north of Frye Road … Sometime in the second quarter of 2025, the agency expects to begin partial acquisitions for Phase II.” [On the MoVe]
Japanese Restaurant Opens in Lincolnia — “Kajiken, a Japanese restaurant specializing in abura soba, opened in Pinecrest Plaza in Lincolnia, at the end of 2024 … The restaurant is located at 6550-K Little River Turnpike in the former Foxfire Grill space. It’s open daily 11 a.m.-9:45 p.m.” [Annandale Today]
Reston IT Contractor Expands With Acquisition — “Reston’s Agile Defense has acquired McLean’s IntelliBridge, a tie-up of two portfolio companies of Chevy Chase investment firm Enlightenment Capital … With the acquisition, Agile Defense doubles in size to more than 2,000 skilled workers and diversifies its portfolio.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Wednesday — Expect partly sunny skies with a high near 30 degrees, and a west wind ranging between 10-14 mph, gusting up to 24 mph. The night will be partly cloudy with temperatures dropping to around 17 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind of 10-14 mph, gusting as high as 22 mph. [NWS]
Fairfax County Public Schools students have been granted a third extra day of winter break.
FCPS announced just after 5 p.m. that no classes will be held tomorrow (Wednesday), as cleanup efforts continue following yesterday’s snowstorm, which dumped an estimated 6 to 10 inches of snow on the county.
A proposed casino in Tysons and calls for the state to provide more money for education and social services dominated a 3.5-hour public hearing hosted Saturday (Jan. 4) by Fairfax County’s delegation to the Virginia General Assembly.
About 70 people, speaking for themselves or on behalf of organizations, each had three minutes to make their case for priorities in the 2025 legislative session, which convenes tomorrow (Wednesday).
Snowfall estimates from yesterday’s storm are in, suggesting experiences varied drastically across Fairfax County.
On the low end, residents in the northwestern area of the county, including Herndon, saw approximately 5.9 to 6.1 inches of snow, based on unofficial observations reported at 4:39 a.m. by the National Weather Service.
National Airport Runways Closed for Snow — Reagan National Airport closed all of its runways last night (Monday) “to allow crews to focus on snow removal and prevent refreezing amid plunging temperatures.” The snowstorm also prompted flight cancellations at Dulles International Airport, which advised travelers to check their flight’s status before arriving. [FOX5]
No Fairfax County Trash Collection Today — Fairfax County government offices will open at 10 a.m. today (Tuesday) after shuttering yesterday for the snowstorm. However, the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services will again forgo trash and recycling collection, and vacuum leaf services have been delayed by a week. [Fairfax County/Twitter]
ICYMI: Driver Uses Storm Drain to Elude Police — Virginia State Police spent hours scouring a storm drain in the Rose Hill area for a driver who allegedly fled two crashes on I-495 yesterday (Monday) afternoon. After stationing troopers at drain covers to watch possible exits, police eventually learned that the driver had been spotted coming out of a manhole a quarter-mile away from where he entered the drainage system. [FFXnow]
National Zoo Pandas Enjoy Snow — “The Smithsonian National Zoo’s new pandas didn’t have to wait long for their first D.C. snowfall, and they made the most out of it Monday. The zoo posted video on Facebook of giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao — who both arrived to the zoo from China in October — playing in their snow-coated outdoor habitat.” [WTOP]
Fairfax County’s IT Leader to Retire — Gregory Scott, Fairfax County’s chief technical officer and director of its Department of Information Technology, plans to retire after nearly six years in the role “once his successor is on board.” The county is now looking for applicants to fill the position, which requires overseeing a department with over 300 employees. [Government Technology]
Talk Reflects on History of Motels on Route 1 — “Between the late 1920s and mid-1960s, the Richmond Highway Corridor was blanketed with motels. Following U.S. Route 1’s paving in 1927, motels popped up ‘almost overnight,’ according to Chris Barbuschak, an archivist with Fairfax County Public Library’s Virginia Room.” [On the MoVe]
How Much Casino Opponents Have Spent So Far — “Opponents of the proposed Tysons casino have spent more than $755,000 in donations and on lobbying efforts to influence lawmakers in Virginia since the beginning of 2023.” Potential casino developer Comstock Companies and other proponents have spent a reported $1.2 million “on their lobbying efforts in Richmond during the same time period.” [Patch]
N. Va. Eateries to Try in 2025 — “Ring in the new year with a fresh batch of new restaurants that have opened recently in Northern Virginia. The eateries run the gamut, from Thai food to southern comfort. With every day comes a new opportunity for finding your new favorite restaurant.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 32 degrees accompanied by a northwest wind of 15 to 17 mph with gusts reaching 36 mph. Tonight, the skies will be partly cloudy, and the temperature will drop to around 18 degrees. The northwest wind will blow at 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. [NWS]
Fairfax County students will get a second extra day of winter break.
After a midday lull, snow is starting to fall again across the D.C. area, prompting Fairfax County Public Schools to cancel classes and all activities on its grounds for tomorrow (Tuesday). School-aged child care centers are included in the closures, and all workers not designated as “essential” have been granted administrative leave again.
It is safe to say that Monday’s snowstorm has impacted every inch of Fairfax County.
As numerous residents and businesses work to dig themselves out of roughly 6 inches of snow, some storefronts have opened their doors to offer various snow day specials. These include:
Northern Virginia’s wary embrace of data centers could have major long-term impacts on both water consumption and wastewater treatment across the region, the Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC) says in its annual report for 2024.
The 134-page document offers a status update and recommendations on environmental issues, including land use, air and water quality, transportation, waste management, climate change and ecological conservation.
The snowstorm that began overnight has effectively shut down Fairfax County.
After closing most local government offices and facilities, the county announced this morning (Monday) that Fairfax Connector has suspended all bus service, as of 7:46 a.m., and no trash and recycling collection services will be provided today.
