Fairfax County is officially seeking public input on a potential meals tax.
The Board of Supervisors voted today (March 18) to advertise a public hearing on amending the county code to impose a meals tax of up to 4%, starting as soon as next January. The board will also advertise a base real estate tax rate of $1.14 per $100, up from the current $1.125, as recommended by County Executive Bryan Hill.
A man accused of distributing sexually explicit images of two minors while living in Reston pleaded guilty yesterday (Tuesday) to exploiting children.
Now a South Carolina resident, Christopher George Schoenmann, 43, created child sexual abuse material and traded it to a Minnesota man in exchange for sexually explicit photos of his own children during a three-year period, federal prosecutors said.
Nobody disputes that Parklawn Elementary School in Lincolnia and Coates Elementary School in the McNair area south of Herndon are severely overcrowded.
But whether to address the issue through individual boundary adjustments at the two schools this year — as proposed in a capital improvement program (CIP) approved last year — or wait for a countywide redistricting effort in 2026 is causing a fissure among Fairfax County School Board members.
A 23-year-old who admitted to driving while under the influence when he struck and killed another motorist in Centreville will spend the next year in jail.
Gabriel Rincon of Fairfax was sentenced Friday (March 14) to a total of 11 years for the December 2023 crash that killed Sohail Iqbal, a 30-year-old Manassas man, on Route 29 near Stringfellow Road.
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]
The Town of Vienna plans to stick with its current real estate tax rate, breaking from the hikes floated by many of its neighbors in Northern Virginia, including Fairfax County, the Town of Herndon and Fairfax City.
However, rising property values will still result in higher bills for most residents, while enabling the town to fund employee pay raises, an initial allocation toward a potential swimming pool and fitness center, and other priorities, according to the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget released on March 5 by Vienna Town Manager Mercury Payton.
A Great Falls businessman has been ordered to serve prison time and pay restitution for stealing nearly $4.5 million from the IRS and his customers.
A federal judge sentenced Rick Tariq Rahim, 56, on Friday (March 14) to six years and six months in prison after he pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud and intentionally failing to report and pay taxes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced.
By OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/Report for America
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A northern Virginia judge determined embryos are not property that can be divided up, rejecting a previous analysis by the court saying such fertilized eggs could be considered divisible “goods or chattel” based on 19th-century slave law.
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]
A teenager believed to be behind more than 50 graffiti incidents in Burke was caught this week by Fairfax County police.
Responding to the 9500 block of Burke Road for multiple reports of vandalized property around 11:20 p.m. last night (Thursday), officers located a 16-year-old suspect who was covered in spray paint, police said.
