Around Town

An independent bookstore in Vienna will relocate within the next year after its owner purchased a building nearby.

After 10 years of leasing its current storefront at 110 Church Street NW, it was time to find a permanent home for Bards Alley Bookshop, owner Jennifer Morrow announced today (Wednesday).


Countywide

For a second year in a row, the Virginia Senate will consider legislation that could pave the way for a casino in Fairfax County.

Senate Bill 756, championed by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34), was advanced on a 10-5 vote yesterday (Tuesday) by the chamber’s Finance and Appropriations Committee with a key revision — criteria that limited potential casino sites to Tysons have now been dropped.


Countywide

Northern Virginia ended 2025 with nearly 44% more people unemployed than it had started the year.

A total of 57,728 residents were counted as jobless for December, up from 40,203 a year before, according to figures reported Feb. 6 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.


Countywide
A shopping cart and Al Landzberg’s “Slit Figure” sculpture in snow at Plaza America in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Democrat Wins State Senate Election — “Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) is getting a promotion in Richmond. Voters in [Tuesday’s] special election gave the Democrat a sweeping victory against Republican Julie Robben Lineberry … setting her up to succeed Sen. Adam Ebbin as he joins Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s administration.” [ALXnow]

Prosecutor Fired After Removal From Case — After being cited for public drinking and getting removed from the high-profile murder case against Brendan Banfield, senior deputy prosecutor Eric Clingan was fired by the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office on Jan. 12 — days before the trial began. “Clingan said he was ‘wrongfully and unfairly terminated and pursuing litigation.'” [WTOP]

Groveton Fatal Shooting Still Unsolved — “Detectives from our Major Crimes Bureau are seeking the community’s assistance in solving a murder that occurred in Groveton more than four years ago.” Ronald Worthy Jr., a 19-year-old Virginia State University student, was found dead with “apparent gunshot wounds” in the Beacon Hill apartment where he was living for the summer with his grandmother on July 27, 2021. [FCPD]

Post-Winter Storm Thaw Finally Begins — “That ‘snowcrete‘ — named for its rock-hard consistency — is finally poised to begin a long, slow fade. Temperatures are expected to climb above freezing each day in the D.C. area for the foreseeable future, with some days next week reaching the 50s or higher.” [Capital Weather Gang]

Bill Could Shift Energy Costs to Data Centers — The Senate Commerce and Labor Committee passed a bill on Monday (Feb. 9) that “would effectively require, with approval from state regulators, new data centers and other high energy use facilities (HEUFs) to cover more of the costs required to serve them.” State Sen. Louise Lucas proposed the amendment to her own bill, which originally focused on energy assistance programs and a push for Dominion Energy to underground its power lines. [VPM News]

Culmore Library Programs Move to Church — “Now that the Culmore Community Library is closed for an HVAC replacement project – and isn’t expected to reopen until January 2027 – library programs will be held at the Culmore Church in Bailey’s Crossroads. According to updated plans for the pop-up library, it won’t have books, said FCPL Marketing and Communications Director Sara Prohaska.” [Annandale Today]

Reston School Helps Student Artists Flourish — “For decades, as part of [Hunters Woods Elementary School’s] artist in residence program, sixth graders have worked with a local artist to produce artwork that gets displayed in the library, hallways or outside the school building. The school’s PTA covers the program costs and the artwork remains there permanently, offering students an opportunity to establish their legacy before leaving for middle school.” [WTOP]

It’s Wednesday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high temperature near 44 degrees and winds potentially gusting up to 32 mph. The nighttime will be partly cloudy with a low temperature around 29 degrees. [NWS]


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.


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 10, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 44 with northwest winds ranging from 10 to 18 mph, accompanied by gusts as high as 33 mph. During Wednesday night, the weather turns partly cloudy and the temperature dips to around 28, while the northwest wind maintains a speed of 14 to 18 mph and gusts reaching 28 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.


Around Town

For anyone seeking a welcome reminder that this winter will eventually end, no matter what the snow still piled up on local sidewalks and parking lots suggests, look no further than Wolf Trap’s newly released summer schedule.

In honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary, a special series celebrating the eclectic music woven into the U.S.’s “rich cultural tapestry” will take center stage at the Filene Center throughout the season, the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts announced today (Tuesday).


News

Local lawmakers have approved a plan to bring red light cameras to Herndon.

The unanimous vote by the Herndon Town Council at last week’s meeting (Feb. 3) officially triggered the process to install the cameras — which are meant to catch and ticket drivers who run red lights — at intersections across the community.


Around Town

Fast-casual salad and bowl chain Sweetgreen will debut its latest location in Tysons with giveaways and support for a local nonprofit.

Sweetgreen will open on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 8405 Leesburg Pike in Tysons. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the location will serve seasonal light bites from Sterling-based restaurant Local Provisions and offer plants from Falls Church-based Botanologica.


News

Students at Justice High School will be heading home early today (Tuesday) after a gas leak was detected this morning.

Washington Gas crews were sent to the school in Lake Barcroft (3301 Peace Valley Lane) around 8 a.m. after receiving a report of a natural gas odor.