Families who need someone to watch their kids before or after school sometimes languish for years on the waitlist for School Age Child Care (SACC) in Fairfax County.
Beyond the Bell, a pilot program launched this fall by the county’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS), is testing whether a new model for child care — one that is license-exempt and increases the maximum number of kids — can help solve that problem.
The Virginia Senate on Friday by a 21-16 party-line vote approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would give the Virginia General Assembly the authority to redraw the commonwealth’s congressional districts mid-decade. The move follows the measure’s 51-42 party-line passage earlier this week in the House of Delegates.
If lawmakers approve House Joint Resolution 6007 again during the next legislative session in early 2026 and if voters back it in a statewide referendum, the General Assembly would gain the power — in narrowly defined circumstances — to alter the state’s 11 U.S. House districts between the 2025 and 2030 census cycles.
Gubernatorial hopeful Abigail Spanberger took her “Virginia Votes Bus Tour” to Annandale yesterday (Thursday), continuing to sell her campaign to voters in Fairfax County mere days before Election Day.
Speaking to roughly 100 attendees at Soricha Tea & Theater (7112 Columbia Pike), the Democratic candidate reiterated her focus on addressing affordability challenges for residents, noting that prices have jumped across the Commonwealth for housing, energy, healthcare and more.
Fairfax County supervisors on Tuesday (Oct. 28) took steps to acquire private property needed for construction of the Richmond Highway bus rapid transit (BRT) project.
With three members absent and one seat vacant, the Board of Supervisors voted 6-0 to authorize county staff to move forward with filing paperwork in court allowing for the condemnation and acquisition of property needed for utility relocation as the nearly billion-dollar project begins to move from planning to construction.
Owners of vehicles towed for improper parking on private property across Fairfax County could soon see an increase of up to 40% in the fee to retrieve them.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (Oct. 28) set a public hearing for Tuesday, Dec. 9 to consider adjustments to towing fees most recently raised four years ago.
Emmy and Grammy Award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns unveiled his latest documentary series, “The American Revolution,” at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate on Wednesday (Oct. 29).
The filmmaker spoke in a panel discussion before sharing an outdoor preview of the new six-part series, which features George Washington and his pivotal role in winning the Revolutionary War. Episodes will air on PBS at 8 p.m. nightly from Nov. 16 to 21.
A Herndon man who previously represented western Fairfax County in the Virginia House of Delegates will avoid jail time after admitting to fraudulently obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.
Democrat Ibraheem Samirah, who represented the old 86th district from 2019 until 2022, was sentenced yesterday (Thursday) by a federal judge in Alexandria to three years of probation for fraudulently obtaining the $83,300 loan for his dentist practice, NOVA Healthy Smiles (NHS), in May 2020.
Halloween Safety Tips — “Halloween is one of the most fun nights of the year, but it comes with real safety risks. Between the costumes, candy and darkness, there are plenty of ways kids and adults can get hurt. Here’s what you need to know to keep everyone safe while still having a great time.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]
Task Force Responds to Hurricane Melissa — Members of Virginia Task Force 1’s Urban Search and Rescue team based in Fairfax County “have arrived in Kingston, Jamaica as part of @StateDept response team. Priorities include establishing a base of operations and working with the Jamaican authorities to ensure our operations meet their needs. All members are safe and ready to work.” [VATF1/X]
Boundaries for New High School Proposed — “Fairfax County Public Schools has revealed four potential boundary scenarios for its new western high school. The district hopes to open the new school — the former King Abdullah Academy in Herndon — for the 2026-2027 school year.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Reston Station Uses Amenities to Boost Offices — “Not far from Tysons, Virginia, Reston Station is emerging with its own commercial core fed by a growing number of residents, tenants and patrons … The neighborhood is the type of development outside major cities that Comstock bets can attract long-term, revenue-generating tenants to effectively fill desks.” [CoStar News]
Man Cleared of Soliciting Violence Against Trump — “A federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia, has acquitted a man who suggested someone should kill President Donald Trump. Federal prosecutors had argued that 63-year-old Peter Stinson, who had served more than three decades as a Coast Guard officer repeatedly called for someone to assassinate Trump, through a series of social media posts, dating to 2020.” [WTOP]
Fairfax City Appoints Acting Manager — “During its Tuesday night meeting, the Fairfax City Council voted unanimously to appoint Assistant City Manager Melanie R. Zipp to assume the role of acting city manager effective Nov. 1. She succeeds acting City Manager Bryan Foster, who is retiring on Friday.” [Patch]
Reston Leads Drug Take Back Collections — “This past Saturday, our district stations partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other Fairfax County agencies for the 29th Annual National Drug Take Back Day. Together we collected 497.3 pounds of expired or unused medications from community members across the county.” [FCPD]
Metro Bus Loop to Temporarily Close — “Attention Metro Customers: From 4 AM on Tuesday, November 4 until 4 AM on Friday, November 7, we’re temporarily closing the Seven Corners Transit Center bus loop in Falls Church for emergency pavement repairs. Thank you for your patience. Check detours below.” [WMATA/Bluesky]
It’s Friday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 59, accompanied by a breezy west wind blowing 15 to 20 mph and gusting up to 38 mph. At night, the sky will be mostly clear with temperatures dropping to around 42. The west wind will remain persistent at 8 to 11 mph with gusts as high as 24 mph. [NWS]
A man has died following a single-vehicle crash that occurred near Reston National Golf Course Thursday afternoon (Oct. 30).
Local police officers and responders with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were dispatched to Soapstone Drive at Golf Course Square in Reston around 2:41 p.m. for a crash with entrapment, according to scanner traffic.
A 50-year-old man from Kingstowne suspected in a 2023 fatal hit and run in Prince William County has turned himself into law enforcement, according to Virginia State Police.
James A. Puryear was charged with involuntary manslaughter, possession with the intent to manufacture or sell a Schedule I/II substance, and felony hit and run resulting in injury or death for the crash on Nov. 19, 2023.
