The signature of Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) is the lone step remaining before Northern Virginia localities receive a new tool to combat excessive vehicle noise.
“There was some drama with this bill,” acknowledged its patron, Del. Rip Sullivan (D-6), in a March 16 newsletter to constituents.
A dispute over ending a sales tax exemption on data centers stood in the way of the Virginia General Assembly passing a state budget passing before its regular session ended.
Over the past 18 years, Virginia became the world’s largest data hub, but community opposition to data centers has swelled. Most recently, in Fairfax County, environmental groups are questioning plans to sell part of a county-owned parcel at 3721 Stonecroft Blvd in Chantilly to data center developer Starwood Capital Group.
New buildings are still going up in Tysons, as anyone who has passed the Indigo at McLean Station, Exchange at Spring Hill and Flats at Tysons construction sites can attest.
But 16 years into Fairfax County’s plan to remake Tysons into a downtown community by 2050, developers behind some of the area’s more established neighborhoods have started to focus less on expanding their properties than on bolstering what they’ve already built.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission signaled support on March 11 for additional rental housing on a key parcel that sits on the Fairfax and Arlington county line near Seven Corners.
Commission members voted 11-0 to recommend approval of a site-specific comprehensive plan amendment (SSPA) for the 5.64-acre Cavalier Club site at 6200 Wilson Blvd, opening the door for more multifamily residential development.
The natural gas explosion that destroyed a house in Centreville last month and forced dozens of others to be evacuated occurred hours after Washington Gas identified a critical leak in the neighborhood, an initial investigatory report says.
A service technician from the utility, which has multiple gas lines in the area, found a “grade 1” leak outside a home on Belle Plains Drive around 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 15 after the resident reported a “gas odor” about two hours earlier, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
A Herndon man will spend eight years in prison after admitting to traveling into D.C. with plans to sexually abuse a 6-year-old child who didn’t actually exist.
Timothy Brockerman, 35, pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, 2025 to traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and was sentenced on March 11 by U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss to 96 months in prison on top of 20 years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C. announced.
Fairfax HS Student Accused of Groping — “An adult Fairfax High School student has been charged with nine counts of assault and battery amid accusations that he was groping girls in the halls during school … About a dozen girls have come forward to report that Ortiz put his hands in between their legs, grabbed their private parts in the front, and moved his hands to their butts while in the school’s hallways.” [WJLA]
Man Charged With Peeping in Reston — A 35-year-old Reston man was arrested last Friday (March 13) after a resident of the Waterside at Reston Apartments “reported seeing an unknown man peering through her bedroom window from outside.” Fairfax County police say their drone program helped quickly locate the suspect, who was seen “peeping through other windows.” The man was charged with three counts of peeping before being released from custody on a personal recognizance bond. [FCPD]
Kennedy Center Board Approves Shutdown — “The Kennedy Center’s board of directors voted on Monday to shut down operations for two years following this summer’s July 4 celebrations. The widely expected decision comes in the wake of numerous resignations and cancellations during President Donald Trump’s second term, although Trump himself has cited the need for repairs as a reason for the closure.” [Associated Press/WTOP]
Bills Restricting ICE Head to Governor — “Bills that advocates said would bring accountability, oversight and transparency to how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operates in Virginia cleared the General Assembly as the 2026 session wrapped on Saturday, March 14.” Gov. Abigail Spanberger has until 11:59 p.m. on April 13 to sign, veto or amend the legislation. [WRIC]
State Lawmakers Face Study Overload — “The Virginia government is sponsoring around 200 interim studies and commissions created through various actions by the state legislature and governor’s office, and that number is expected to grow with pending legislation. But several lawmakers are now saying there are too many of these initiatives.” [Virginia Mercury]
Tree Fell on Car Along Mount Vernon Highway — “A Fairfax woman is raising safety concerns after she says a tree fell on her car while she was driving along Mount Vernon Memorial Highway … The incident happened just one day after a falling tree killed a driver on the nearby George Washington Memorial Parkway Thursday morning.” [WUSA9]
Volunteers Help Furnish Family’s New Home — Bailey’s Crossroads “Rotary Club members worked on March 10 to furnish and decorate an apartment off Route 29 in Falls Church for a family of four – with two parents, a 5-year-old boy, and a baby – who had been living in a homeless shelter. The family will pay a portion of the rent, while Homestretch will cover the balance.” [Annandale Today]
Great Falls Pub Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day — “This Tuesday, March 17, The Old Brogue Irish Pub hosts its 45th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival, one of Northern Virginia’s longest-running Irish celebrations. Families, friends, and visitors from across the Washington, D.C. region will enjoy live Irish music, traditional dance, food, and drinks, including Guinness.” [Press release]
It’s Tuesday — Clouds will increase throughout the day, reaching a high temperature near 40°F with a west wind blowing at 11-13 mph and gusts up to 23 mph. At night, expect mostly clear skies with a low temperature around 27°F. [NWS]
Want more local news? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow, with the latest from across the region.
Fairfax County’s lone Republican lawmaker will campaign for reelection next year.
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity announced plans at last month’s Fairfax GOP convention to seek a sixth term on the county’s Board of Supervisors, potentially extending a tenure that began nearly two decades ago.
After an extended hiatus, the Fairfax County Circuit Court will bring back its satellite services next month. This time, however, the pop-up will focus on the southern side of the county instead of the north.
The satellite site will provide select court services at the Gerry Hyland Government Center (8350 Richmond Highway) in Woodlawn from 9 a.m. to noon on the second Tuesday of every month, starting April 14.
Recent proposals to use part or all of the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Regional Park for future transit options are non-starters, the body controlling the right-of-way says.
“Similar proposals have been discussed previously and have been determined to not be viable,” NOVA Parks officials said in a March 11 posting on the regional body’s website.
