Countywide
A person walks by the Love sign at the Wiehle Avenue and Sunset Hills Road intersection in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

GW Parkway Rehab Nears Finish — “After more than two and a half years of major traffic disruptions for commuters and other drivers, the National Park Service (NPS) said it has reached ‘substantial completion’ of rehabilitation work on a northern section of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.” However, additional repairs will be needed on the Route 123 bridge over the GW Parkway at the McLean exit, starting by the end of February. [WJLA]

Minimum Wage Increases Pass — “Virginia’s minimum wage is on track to continue increasing over the next two years. Two companion bills — SB1 and HB1 — have passed both chambers and are expected to go to Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D), who has indicated that she will sign them into law.” [ARLnow]

Senate Advances ICE Cooperation Limits — “The Virginia Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would place hefty guardrails on any proposed 287(g) agreements allowing local law enforcement to carry out federal immigration functions. The bill still must go to the House … The Virginia bill is part of a growing wave of pushback against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown by Democratic-led states.” [Associated Press/ARLnow]

Video of Springfield Mall Shooting Released — “Video shows a fight between young people that escalated into a shooting inside the Springfield Town Center mall on Friday evening. A 19-year-old was wounded, and a 17-year-old was arrested, Fairfax County’s police chief said on News4.” [NBC4]

Residents Propose Data Center Land Swap — Homeowners’ associations in Bren Mar Park opposed to a planned data center near their neighborhood have suggested that Fairfax County buy that land from the developer in exchange for a portion of the police training campus in Chantilly currently under consideration for a sale to allow a data center. The group says the Plaza 500 site would be better suited for affordable housing. [Annandale Today]

Tips for Avoiding Tax Scams — “As tax filing season ramps up, so do attempts by scammers looking to steal personal information and hard-earned money. The Fairfax County Police Department is reminding residents to stay alert and recognize the warning signs of common tax-related fraud schemes.” [FCPD]

Cannabis Retail Sales Bill Heads to Governor — “After years of clearing the General Assembly only to meet a veto, legislation to create a legal, adult-use cannabis market in Virginia passed both chambers Tuesday — this time with a governor ready to sign it and retail sales poised to begin as early as November.” [Virginia Mercury]

Fairfax City IDs Capital Project Priorities — At a work session on Tuesday, Feb. 10, Fairfax City Council and Planning Commission members discussed the combined Willard Sherwood Community Center, the Fire Station 3 replacement and a study of the city’s property yard as three projects that should be prioritized for funding in the fiscal year 2027-2031 capital improvement program. [Patch]

It’s Wednesday — There is a 20% chance of rain after 2pm, with fog expected before 9am, followed by mostly cloudy conditions and a high temperature near 58°F. Southwest winds will be 5 to 10 mph, with gusts of up to 20 mph. At night, clouds will gradually clear, leading to a low temperature around 43°F. [NWS]

There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.


Around Town

Good Tuesday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Feb 17, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Wednesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.

🌥️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect a possibility of rain after 2pm, along with patchy fog clearing by 11am. It will be mostly cloudy with a high near 58, and southwest winds between 6 to 10 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. There’s a 20% chance of precipitation. For Wednesday night, patchy fog will appear after midnight and the sky will transition from mostly cloudy to mostly clear. The low temperature will be around 43, and west winds will range between 3 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.


News

Cami Minks was getting ready for bed in her Centreville home on a quiet Sunday night, when suddenly, her house vibrated from the sound of an enormous explosion.

“I thought it was a bomb,” Minks, a resident of the Belle Pond neighborhood, recalled. “It was that loud. It shook everything.”


Around Town

Sky Zone, an indoor trampoline park, will soon bounce into the remaining space left by Sears at Fair Oaks Mall.

The indoor trampoline park chain confirmed to FFXnow that it is targeting a late 2026 or early 2027 opening at 1750 Fair Oaks Mall #1230. Sky Zone has four other Northern Virginia locations, including one in Springfield and one that just opened on Feb. 9 at Dulles Town Center in Sterling.


Event

Flowers, Fine Art & Fashion is an immersive cultural experience presented by People of The Garden LLC, where nature, creativity, and modest couture converge in a breathtaking indoor garden setting.

Guests will journey through a living landscape featuring dramatic floral installations, botanical art, and a one-of-a-kind rectangular runway designed around lush greenery and sculptural plantings. Throughout the evening, attendees will experience a curated runway presentation showcasing modest fashion designers, alongside original fine art, artisan vendors, and interactive floral experiences.


Countywide

Fairfax County’s real estate tax rate would remain the same, but the typical homeowner would still pay $357 more due to higher assessments under the $5.98 billion fiscal year 2027 budget proposed today (Feb. 17) by County Executive Bryan Hill.

“Fairfax County is stable, competitive and positioned for growth. We are stabilizing and we are also advancing,” Hill told the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, officially kicking off the two-and-a-half month budget process.


News

Fairfax County’s new western high school won’t be named Western High School after all.

The school board voted unanimously last Thursday (Feb. 12) to instead adopt “Skyview High School” as the new name of the former King Abdullah Academy campus at 2949 Education Drive, near Dulles International Airport and the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in the Floris area south of Herndon.


Countywide

Fairfax County officials are cautiously optimistic about the prospects for state legislation that would let certain localities use monitoring equipment to fine owners of excessively noisy vehicles.

House Bill 55, patroned for a second year by Del. Rip Sullivan (D-6), passed the House of Delegates yesterday (Tuesday) on a 64-34 vote after a third reading.


News

A venture capital firm that focuses on national security and technology companies is bouncing from one growing Reston development to another.

Currently based at Reston Town Center, Razor’s Edge Ventures will relocate its headquarters to the Row at Reston Station after signing a lease for approximately 15,000 square feet of space, property owner Comstock Companies announced Wednesday (Feb. 11).


News

Police have made arrests in connection to two different Springfield-area shootings earlier this month.

Suspects in both the Feb. 6 incident in the 7600 block of Cork Glen Way and a Feb. 13 incident at Springfield Town Center have been taken into custody, the Fairfax County Police Department recently announced.