Dozens of protestors last night (Thursday) held a candlelight vigil to protest recent apprehensions of multiple Fairfax County residents by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the Hybla Valley area.
Three unidentified men along the Richmond Highway (Route 1) corridor were detained by ICE on Nov. 22, according to Tenants and Workers United, which hosted the vigil outside a local church.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) predicts there’s a small chance that the Senate will coalesce around a deal to prevent premium health care hikes for millions of Americans before next month.
Kaine made the statement today (Friday) at a roundtable with health care professionals at a Neighborhood Health clinic in Hybla Valley after most Senate Republicans rejected a Democratic bill Thursday that would’ve extended Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of this year.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday night (Dec. 9) to raise the maximum base charge for trespass towing by 40% to the new state maximum of $210.
Maximum allowable fees for the drop charge, storage and administration also would increase. The new fees went into effect immediately.
Fairfax Democrats are wasting no time in their bid to retain David Bulova’s seat in the House of Delegates.
Local party officials have scheduled a firehouse primary for next Tuesday (Dec. 16) — only five days after news of Bulova’s departure as the 11th House District’s delegate became public.
New facilities to enhance the visitor experience at the Barns at Wolf Trap have been approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
Supervisors voted unanimously at their Dec. 9 meeting in support of land-use changes requested by the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts for a 9,300-square-foot addition to the 352-seat performance facility, located at 1635 Trap Road in the Vienna area.
Jim Larranaga liked to bring in sports psychologist Bob Rotella for two reasons.
The George Mason University men’s basketball coach did so if he believed an individual player needed some help. Or he did so if he felt he had a good team that needed some extra clarity to tap into their potential.
After two years of renovations, the first and second floors of George and Martha Washington’s mansion at Mount Vernon reopened to visitors on Wednesday (Dec. 10).
The $40 million preservation project at the first president’s home included designing and installing a new HVAC system, major infrastructure repairs, and improving drainage in and around the mansion’s cellar, and Washington’s newly restored bedroom.
Virginia Dropping Sweet Drinks From SNAP Coverage — “Virginia is among six states approved for SNAP food choice waivers under a new initiative launched by the Trump administration that will deny some items to those who use the program … According to the USDA, Virginia SNAP benefits will restrict the purchase of ‘sweetened beverages.'” [WUSA9]
GMU Students Advocate for Increased Voter Turnout — George Mason University freshman Rithvik Hari “was part of a research experiment to figure out ways to increase turnout among college students … The experiment was a success: George Mason was the only precinct in Fairfax County to see an increase in voter turnout [this year] compared to the 2024 presidential election.” [WVTF]
Man Charged With Trespassing at CIA HQ — “An Uber passenger who flew from Puerto Rico to Virginia was arrested early Monday morning after he tried to gain entry to CIA headquarters in McLean, according to court documents.” The man has been “charged with trespassing on an agency installation and failing to obey an order to leave an agency installation.” [Patch]
State of Data Centers in D.C. Region — “With the explosion of AI, the demand for data processing power is growing exponentially, sparking debate over the growth of data centers nationally and regionally … WAMU’s Regional Politics team dug into the debate in each of the three jurisdictions,” from the established data center hub of Northern Virginia to D.C., which has no sites but could still feel the effects of rising energy costs. [WAMU]
Facility Issues Close Libraries — “Burke Centre Library and Richard Byrd Library will remain closed through Friday, December 12 due to ongoing facility issues. Holds and due dates will be extended for customers of both facilities. We will provide further updates soon regarding anticipated reopening timelines.” [Fairfax County Public Library/X]
Santa Visits Inova Hospital — The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department “was honored to bring the big guy himself, Santa, to Inova Children’s so he could assist Fairfax County Police Department with donating some of the toys collected through this year’s Santa’s Ride. We were grateful to be part of the holiday cheer!” [FCFRD/Facebook]
FCPS Tweaks Boundary Changes for Annandale Area — “Bren Mar Park Elementary School families concerned about a boundary change have been given a reprieve. At a Dec. 10 community meeting on recently announced changes to the Fairfax County school boundary review process, Superintendent Michelle Reid said students at Bren Mar Park (BMP) will stay at the middle and high schools to which they are already assigned.” [Annandale Today]
Trucking Company to Deliver Memorial Wreaths — “On Friday, December 12, 2025, over 200 participants will be present to execute this annual initiative. Interstate employees, their families, and community partners, including the new Driver Ambassador, CJ3 Foundation, will gather at the company’s Springfield headquarters to salute and send off over 70 drivers, who will deliver wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery and other area cemeteries, joining thousands of volunteers nationwide who carry forward Wreaths Across America’s legacy of remembrance.” [Interstate Moving]
Capital Craft Festival Returns — “The Capital Art and Craft Festival features more than 300 juried artists at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, Virginia. From Friday through Sunday, expect everything from glass and metal works to jewelry and clothing to pottery and printmaking.” With Dulles Expo closing this month, the festival’s director says a new venue for 2026 “will be announced ‘soon.'” [WTOP]
It’s Friday — Expect partly sunny skies and a high near 38 degrees with a light west wind of 3 to 6 mph. As night falls, the sky will turn mostly cloudy with the temperature dropping to a low of around 28 degrees. The wind will remain calm throughout the night. [NWS]
Fairfax County has committed to funding its responsibilities to employees under a collective bargaining agreement.
At its meeting on Tuesday (Dec. 9), the Board of Supervisors voted 8-1 to approve a resolution committing to funding obligations under the agreement with the Fairfax County Government Employees Union.
Update — Fairfax High School has been cleared after a sweep of the campus didn’t turn up any safety threats, police say. Students are being dismissed in accordance with “normal” procedures.
“Nothing was found and there were no reported injuries,” a Fairfax City police spokesperson said.
