News

County Opens Community Survey on Proposed Budget — “Fairfax County is seeking community feedback on the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Advertised Budget Plan.” An online survey is now available in English, Spanish and Korean, and town halls and public hearings are planned this spring. [Fairfax County Government]

Sexual Assaults Reported in Falls Church — “The City of Falls Church Police Department is investigating a series of sexual batteries that occurred on the evening of Tuesday, February 25, 2025 and seeks possible additional victims or witnesses to the crimes. On February 25, officers were dispatched to four separate but similar reports of assault that occurred between approximately 8:55 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.” [City of Falls Church]

Falls Church’s Oldest Business to Close — “The oldest surviving business in Falls Church, Brown’s Hardware, is selling off the last of its wares as it prepares to close for good after 142 years … With about a fifth of all inventory remaining and an across-the-board 50% off sale, the store is on track to close at 100 W. Broad Street by the third week of March.” [ARLnow]

Federal Job Cuts Could Affect Cherry Blossom Festival — “More than 1,000 National Park Service staff, including rangers, have been laid off across the country. In the D.C. region, there are concerns that more cuts could be coming, affecting the experience of millions of tourists who flock to the Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms each year.” [WTOP]

Prepare for Reston Station Blvd Traffic Detour — “Due to the removal of a construction crane, Reston Station Boulevard will operate as a one-way road from Friday Feb. 28 to Sunday, March 2. Drivers will be directed eastbound toward Wiehle Avenue. Please follow the detour arrows when entering and exiting the Transit Center.” [Hunter Mill District News]

Police Investigate Convenience Store Theft — Fairfax County police are seeking help in identifying a man who allegedly “forced entry into a restricted area … and stole merchandise” from a convenience store in Pimmit Hills last Friday, Feb. 21. Officers responded to the 7400 block of Patterson Road the following morning for the larceny report. [FCPD]

CIA Gives Critic Rare Look at HQ Dining Room — “Cellphones are forbidden, so forget about recording the meal for posterity. That’s because the only people who can book a table here at one of the most secure compounds in the world are employees of the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Virginia.” [Washington Post]

It’s Thursday — There’s a 30% chance of rain, primarily before 4pm. Expect cloudy conditions with a high near 65. Southwest winds of 9 to 13 mph will shift to the west later in the day, and wind gusts may reach 22 mph. At night, anticipate partly cloudy skies and a low around 39. [NWS]

GMU Law School Removes Diversity-Related Webpages — “George Mason University’s law school has removed webpages related to diversity, equity and inclusion, sparking student criticism and casting doubt on the future of related programs.” Some Scalia Law students recently wrote a letter to the administration questioning the changes and calling for the school to reaffirm its commitment to diversity. [ARLnow]

Compromise Keeps Traffic Camera Reforms Alive — “Virginia lawmakers delivered a last-minute compromise on a contentious safety bill — ushering in high-tech school zone cameras and speed camera guardrails — just as the General Assembly wrapped up its session. However, the measure’s future now rests with Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s pending approval.” [Virginia Mercury]

FCPS Reports Improvements in Teacher Retention — “After taking several steps to address these concerns, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is seeing major results — for the first time in four years, they are seeing more than 90% of teachers staying on … The district also now has between 4,500 and 5,000 substitute teachers.” [WJLA]

GMU Basketball Team Vying for March Madness Spot — “VCU and George Mason could both squeeze into the NCAA tourney if they stumble in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. The Rams beat the Patriots last week for their sixth straight win, one that ended George Mason’s 11-game winning streak.” [Associated Press]

BBQ Restaurant Opening at Mosaic District — “Big announcement! 🚨 Hi/FI’s new location in the Mosaic District is officially opening this Saturday, March 1st, at 11:00 AM! 🎉 Come celebrate with us at 8298 Glass Alley, Fairfax, VA 22031.” An initial soft opening is planned today (Wednesday). [HiFi Tex-Mex BBQ/Instagram]

Fort Belvoir Reopens Long-Closed Gate — “U.S. Army Garrison Fort Belvoir recently announced some additional gate changes, effective Feb. 24. Perhaps the biggest change is the reopening of the installation’s Walker Gate along Mount Vernon Memorial Highway on weekday mornings. The gate … had been closed since late November 2022 due to staffing shortages.” [On the MoVe]

Reston Association Recreation Passes Available — “Reston Association is excited to announce that recreation passes for the 2025 season are now available. Recreation passes provide access to RA pools, tennis and pickleball courts, and once again are available to all RA members at no additional charge as part of RA’s annual assessment.” [Reston Association]

It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny weather and a high near 63 degrees, accompanied by a 6 to 8 mph west wind that will shift to the south in the afternoon. At night, skies will see increasing clouds, and the temperature will drop to around 49 degrees. The south wind will maintain a speed of 6 to 8 mph. [NWS]

Mother Killed in Crash Honored with Vigil — Loved ones gathered on Richmond Highway near Buckman Road in Hybla Valley on Sunday (Feb. 23), almost a month after Erica Tibbs, 33, was killed in a hit-and-run crash. Fairfax County police still haven’t located the driver in the crash, which also injured Tibbs’s 5-year-old son. [NBC4]

DCA Now Closes Runways for Presidential Helicopter — “Airline passengers have experienced serious disruptions at Washington’s Reagan National Airport because of new rules that trigger runway closures when President Donald Trump flies to and from the White House aboard his helicopter, according to people aware of the restrictions, flight tracking data and federal records.” [Washington Post]

Late Singer Previously Lived in Fairfax County — “Sad to learn of the passing of Roberta Flack. Not only was she an amazing musician/singer, but for a time she lived in my neighborhood and the district I represent in the Virginia General Assembly. Everyone loved her! She will be missed but her music lives forever. May she rest in peace.” [Delegate Paul Krizek/Bluesky]

Pedestrian Injured in Fairfax City Hit-and-Run — “City of Fairfax Police are asking the public to help identify a vehicle and locate the driver who investigators said was involved in a hit-and-run involving a pedestrian on Sunday afternoon. Police released photos of the car that they say struck a pedestrian around 3 p.m. at 11130 Fairfax Blvd.” [Patch]

How Federal Worker Layoffs Might Affect N. Va. Housing — “We asked some of the region’s top real estate brokers and industry experts about current market conditions and whether plans to reshape the federal workforce could significantly impact the area. The consensus: Pent-up housing demands are so great that the market should be able to withstand these changes.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

New GDC Judge Elected — Trial attorney Raymond Obregon will be the newest judge in Fairfax’s General District Court. Obregon, who has practiced locally since 1999, was unanimously elected by Virginia’s General Assembly last week. He will join the bench on April 1. [Jared Serre]

Lincolnia Plumbing Supply Store Burglarized — “Detectives from our Criminal Investigations Division are seeking the community’s assistance in identifying two suspects who burglarized a plumbing supply store in Lincolnia. On February 16, at 5:43 a.m., officers responded to the 5600 block of General Washington Drive … for a commercial burglary.” [FCPD]

It’s Tuesday — Expect partly sunny skies with highs reaching 61 degrees and light, variable winds strengthening to a northwest 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. For Tuesday night, it will be mostly clear as temperatures drop to a low of 37 degrees and a northwest wind maintains a speed of around 6 mph. [NWS]