More federal employees soon may be back working full-time from their offices — at least those who don’t get laid off.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed staff on Tuesday (Feb. 4) to develop a communication and outreach strategy to inform workers who will be returning to the office, as ordered by the Trump administration, of the full range of available transit options and ways to make commuting less costly.
ICE Arrests Annandale Residents — “ICE agents arrested six men outside Fairmont Gardens in Annandale [Wednesday] morning. The men were spotted walking down Little River Turnpike in handcuffs. The men were waiting for jobs. One was released because he had a work permit, says Nayely Lopez of FACETS.” [Annandale Today]
Driver Killed in I-95 Crash — “Virginia State Police are investigating a crash that happened just after 2:30 p.m. on [Tuesday, Feb. 4 in] the southbound 95 Express Lanes at the 151 mile marker in Prince William County,” creating traffic delays from Dumfries to Lorton. A Lexus driver died at the scene, and a passenger in the vehicle was taken to a hospital. [WTOP]
Health Centers Closing Due to Funding Freeze — “Half of Virginia’s community health centers have been cut off from federal grant money, forcing some to stop providing certain services and others to close branches.” Even though a judge stayed the Trump administration’s funding freeze last week, 16 of the state’s 31 Federally Qualified Health Centers have been unable to access funds used to pay their employees. [VPM]
Arrest Made in Chantilly School and Church Thefts — A Chantilly man has been charged with burglary, property destruction and petit larceny after he allegedly stole from a church donation box and burglarized a school. “The two separate incidents happened at the end of January 2024, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.” [DC News Now]
Police Investigate Vehicle Part Thefts — Fairfax County police are looking for an Ohio man who they say was involved in catalytic converter thefts in Woodlawn on Jan. 5. “The complainant reported seeing two men carrying tools and attempting to break into vehicles. Officers located several catalytic converters, the suspects’ vehicle, and tools nearby.” [FCPD]
Lincolnia Credit Union Robbed — The Navy Federal Credit Union in Barcroft Plaza was robbed yesterday (Wednesday) shortly before 11:30 a.m. “The suspect entered the bank, at 6343 Columbia Pike in Lincolnia, and demanded money, the Fairfax County Police Department reports. The suspect did not display a weapon. No one was injured.” [Annandale Today]
Falls Church to Wait and See on Deer Management — “Deer culling efforts are unlikely to get off the ground in Falls Church any time soon, city leaders indicated this week.” At a Monday (Feb. 3) night work session, the city’s animal control officer said complaints about deer have been minimal, but city council members suggested keeping an eye on local populations. [ARLnow]
Murals Could Beautify Route 1 Construction — “As more and more buildings along Richmond Highway are demolished in preparation for construction of the bus rapid transit (BRT) system, the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (SFDC) is hoping to improve the appearance of the corridor with more artwork.” [On the MoVe]
It’s Thursday — Expect rain mainly before 1pm, with a high temperature near 49°F. There’s a 90% chance of precipitation, with new amounts between a tenth to a quarter of an inch possible. For Thursday night, it’ll be mostly cloudy with a low around 40°F. [NWS]
Fairfax County Public Schools will clear school grounds early tonight (Wednesday) and start classes late tomorrow (Thursday) in anticipation of some wintry weather.
FCPS announced that all activities on school grounds, including sports practices and extracurricular activities, must wrap up by 9 p.m. In addition, schools will start on a two-hour delay tomorrow with a mix of snow and sleet expected to freeze overnight.
With the federal government slashing its workforce and attempting to freeze billions in funding, Virginia lawmakers are bracing for impact. House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth) on Tuesday evening announced the formation of an Emergency Committee on the Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions, a bipartisan panel tasked with assessing the economic fallout and crafting solutions to protect the commonwealth.
“This is not about politics — it’s about protecting Virginia’s workforce, economy, and essential services,” Scott said in a statement. “With nearly 145,000 federal civilian employees and even more federal contractors calling Virginia home, we depend on a strong partnership with the federal government to provide critical services. The federal administration’s announced plans to ‘drain’ the federal workforce and the pause in federal funding raise serious concerns for Virginia’s economy and the ability to maintain essential services.”
Fairfax County Public Schools has received the zoning changes necessary to build a future Dunn Loring Elementary School.
The unanimous vote yesterday (Tuesday) by the Board of Supervisors doesn’t mean a school will necessarily be built at the site of the current Dunn Loring Administrative Center, but a four-story building to serve nearly 1,000 students is now allowed, if the Fairfax County School Board ultimately opts to move forward.
The Town of Herndon Police Department (HPD) hopes to quash rumors that it has been collaborating with federal immigration agents on raids.
Claims that local police have participated in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids began cropping up in phone calls to the police department a few weeks ago and have now emerged in social media posts, particularly on TikTok, according to HPD spokesperson Lisa Herndon.
A man who tried to sexually assault a woman near the Springfield Crossing apartments late last month has been arrested, Fairfax County police announced yesterday (Tuesday).
According to the Fairfax County Police Department, officers were called to the 6700 block of Metropolitan Center Drive shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 27 for a report of an abduction and an attempted sexual assault.
Candlelight Vigil Tonight for DCA Crash Victims — “Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) invites the community to a candlelight vigil in remembrance of the 67 lives lost in the tragic American Airlines crash at National Airport last week. The gathering will take place Feb. 5, at 5:30 p.m., at Rivergate City Park, 2 Montgomery St., on the Alexandria waterfront.” [Annandale Today]
Concerns About Crowded Airspace Have History — “With a preliminary NTSB report not expected for several weeks, Arlington’s federal representatives have ventured few opinions on what factors may have contributed to last week’s crash. However, local advocates’ concerns about the number of flights at DCA stretch back years.” [ARLnow]
Route 28 Bypass Project Officially Dead — The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted 5-3 yesterday (Tuesday) to cancel a planned road extension that would’ve diverted traffic off of Route 28 (Centreville Road) before reconnecting north of Bull Run Stream in Fairfax County. Approved in 2020, the bypass proposal faced various challenges, including a “lack of buy-in from Fairfax County.” [WTOP]
Lawmakers Could Regulate License Plate Readers — “Virginia lawmakers are moving to regulate automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) for the first time, but privacy advocates warn that the legislation could expand surveillance rather than rein it in.” The House of Delegates passed a bill yesterday that would limit police data storage and authorize VDOT to issue permits for the devices’ installation. [Virginia Mercury]
Loudoun to Consider Dulles Airport Noise Mitigation — “As residents near Dulles International Airport continue to voice concerns over noise from aircraft flying over their homes, a community-involved process to consider mitigation methods will kick off this spring … A virtual community kick-off meeting is envisioned for April to provide an overview of the project.” [Loudoun Now]
Update on FCPS Athletics Policy Review — “Months after Hayfield Secondary School’s football team withdrew from the playoffs, Fairfax County Public Schools is crafting a plan that it hopes will improve its athletic processes and transparency ahead of the next school year.” The plan is being developed by a working group in collaboration with the Virginia High School League. [WTOP]
Secret Service Cracks Down on ‘Card Skimmers’ — “A U.S. Secret Service task force cracked down on a card-skimming scheme that targeted people who rely on government assistance … The unit visited 879 businesses in the D.C. area, inspected 6,561 devices and found 24 skimmers.” [NBC4]
Hunter Mill District Invited to Town Hall — “Do you want to know more about the proposed casino or have other questions or issues you want to discuss with me? Let’s talk!” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn will host a town hall tomorrow (Thursday) from 7-8:30 p.m. at the North County Governmental Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive) in Reston. [Walter Alcorn/Instagram]
It’s Wednesday — There’s a 30% chance of precipitation during the day, with an increased likelihood of combined snow and sleet after 1 p.m. At night, though, the chance of preciptation is 100%, with sleet transitioning to freezing rain and sleet from 1-4 a.m. The high temperature will be around 37 and the low near 32. [NWS]
A 16-year-old boy has been identified as the alleged perpetrator in the stabbing of a police officer in Fair Lakes yesterday (Monday).
The unnamed juvenile appeared to have charged at an officer responding to the scene in the 12800 block of Fair Lakes Parkway before attempting to strike him with a knife, according to footage released today (Tuesday) from police body and in-car cameras.
Legislation that would give Fairfax County the authority to ask voters to allow a casino is heading to the Virginia House of Delegates.
After a passionate debate that split Fairfax County’s typically unified delegation, the contentious bill from Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34) to add the county to the short list of localities eligible to host a casino passed the state Senate today (Tuesday) by a 24-16 vote.
