Countywide
A bicyclist stopped at the intersection of Route 50 and Stringfellow Road in Chantilly (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Reminder: Schools to Close Early — Fairfax County Public Schools will close three hours early today (Monday) due to potentially severe storms, including the possibility of tornadoes, in the afternoon forecast. All afterschool and evening activities on school grounds have been canceled, and morning preschool and special education classes will be dismissed around 10 a.m. [FFXnow]

Lawsuit Coming Over Chantilly Gas Explosion — “The attorney for an 83-year-old man whose home exploded in Centreville, Va., plans to file a lawsuit against Washington Gas. The explosion forced about 50 residents to evacuate from the neighborhood on Quail Pond Court. The man was injured and displaced after the blast destroyed his home.” [DC News Now]

Emergency Repairs for Potomac Sewer Complete — “D.C. Water has completed the final steps necessary to return flow to the Potomac Interceptor. D.C. Water spokesperson Sherri Lewis said the water flow was restored after a series of tests were carried out by officials early Saturday … The environmental rehabilitation work is still needed, which has begun on the C&O Canal.” [WTOP]

General Assembly Session Highlights — “Virginia lawmakers wrapped up the 2026 General Assembly session in dramatic fashion Saturday evening, adjourning their regular session without a budget deal after an unexpected dispute over data center tax breaks … overshadowed what had otherwise been a consequential session for Democrats,” who control both chambers of the legislature and all three statewide offices. [Virginia Mercury]

Retail Cannabis Bill Heads to Governor — “Virginia lawmakers passed legislation to let people 21 and over buy cannabis recreationally starting Jan. 1, 2027, moving the state closer to ending its yearslong stay in marijuana purgatory.” Gov. Abigail Spanberger is expected to sign the bill, which comes five years after Virginia decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana. [VPM News]

Southwest Airlines Leaving Dulles — “Southwest Airlines Co. said Friday it will soon stop operating service to, from or through Dulles International Airport.” The company, which currently provides flights from Dulles to Phoenix and Denver, said it will end service at Dulles and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport starting June 4 as “part of the airline’s ongoing effort ‘refine services.'” [Washington Business Journal]

Falls Church Approves E-Scooter Program — “Falls Church has formally opened its doors to e-scooters. Now it just needs to find some takers. City Council members voted 7-0 on Monday night for a one-year pilot program, hoping to entice companies to deploy up to 100 e-scooters and e-bicycles within the community’s 2.2 square miles.” [ARLnow]

Private-Sector Job Losses a Concern — “Private sector job losses linked to federal reductions and economic uncertainty are a top concern for City of Alexandria and its regional counterparts, according to a presentation” given to the City Council on March 10. “While [Brookings Institute fellow Tracy] Hadden Loh said the region is still adding private jobs in certain subsectors, others have taken a hit.” [ALXnow]

New Legal Notice — Administrative plan available; hearing May 1, 2026; comments invited. [Public Notices]

It’s Monday — Showers and thunderstorms likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 5pm. Some of the storms could be severe. Temperatures could reach a high near 72 before dropping to a low around 30 at night. Chance of precipitation is 80%. [NWS]


Countywide

Fairfax County Public Schools will change up its schedule tomorrow (Monday) in anticipation of potentially severe weather, including thunderstorms and even possible tornadoes.

Instead of the more typical two-hour delayed opening, however, FCPS has announced that schools and administrative offices will close three hours early, forcing many families to scramble for last-minute child care plans.


Sponsored

The bakery that knows your order. The pediatrician your kids grew up with. The contractor your whole street recommends. These are the businesses that give Fairfax County its character. The same neighbors who open FFXnow every day are also the people looking to support local businesses in their area.

FFXnow is where Fairfax County turns for local news, reaching 600,000 readers a month and 9 million pageviews a year, making it one of the most-read local news sites in Virginia. People come to keep up with the county, and along the way, they find the businesses that make it run.

Our readers tell us this works. 67% say they’re more likely to support a business that advertises with FFXnow, and 33% have made a purchase after seeing an ad or sponsored article. Next to news your neighbors already trust, your business reads as part of the conversation, not an interruption.

If you own a business in Fairfax County, we’ve got more than one way to get involved, whether you’re introducing your business, promoting an event, or telling your story. And because FFXnow is independent local journalism, your support helps keep Fairfax County informed, too.

If reaching your neighbors has been on your mind, we’d love to help you find the right fit.

Explore every option at lnn.co/advertise, email hello@lnn.co, or call 703-348-0583.


News

Three people were killed and two were hospitalized as a result of a single-vehicle crash near Crossfield Elementary School in Reston earlier this morning (Saturday).

As of 10:30 a.m., Fox Mill Road remains closed in both directions at Folkstone Drive, where the crash occurred, as detectives with the Fairfax County Police Department’s Crash Reconstruction Unit investigate.


Announcement

For many young families and seniors, everyday expenses continue to add up. Two locally owned Great Clips salons are helping make one routine expense a little easier.

Every Tuesday, seniors age 65+ and children age 10 and under can receive a haircut for just $17.99 at locally owned Great Clips locations in Fairfax City and Reston.


Countywide

The bill to allow a casino in Fairfax County has reemerged after nine days of negotiations with some significant changes from the version that passed the Virginia House of Delegates earlier this month.

The State Senate voted 22-16 today (Friday) to accept a substitute for Senate Bill 756 that would allow a temporary casino establishment in Fairfax before a referendum to permit a permanent development goes to voters.


Event

In a world that moves faster than ever, inner peace is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity.

Join us for the Inner Peace Summit, a transformative gathering where leaders, professionals, educators, public servants, families, students, faith communities, wellness advocates, and spiritual seekers come together to discover practical tools for living with greater clarity, resilience, compassion, and purpose.


Around Town

Good Friday 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 — Mar 13, 2026.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  • Fairfax County offers free trees to residents in bid to expand canopy (11767 views)
  • Construction begins on updates to AMC Theatres in Tysons (9555 views)
  • Transit advocates push for use of W&OD right-of-way as new rail line (7959 views)
  • CVS Pharmacy at Reston Station to permanently close (7538 views)
  • Reston Crossing redevelopment revived under new property owner (7063 views)
  • Fairfax County schools to close for redistricting referendum special election (6083 views)
  • As homes get taller, Fairfax County seeks to clarify longstanding height limit (5212 views)
  • FCPD seeking man who burglarized Centreville homes ‘while fully nude’ (5077 views)
  • Vacant site near Tysons water tower acquired for affordable housing (4298 views)
  • Iran conflict clouds Fairfax County homes market as springtime approaches (3677 views)
  • NEW: Katie Cristol stepping down as Tysons Community Alliance CEO (3597 views)
  • Reston Association resumes consideration of Lake Audubon renaming (3486 views)
  • Environmental groups seek more details of plan to sell Chantilly land for data center (3362 views)
  • 📅 Upcoming events

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

    Here are the events planned for Sunday:

    ☀️ Saturday’s forecast

    Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 56 degrees and a west wind of 10 to 16 mph, gusting up to 29 mph today. Tonight, the sky turns mostly cloudy with a low around 40 degrees, as the north wind at 6 mph becomes light and variable. 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.

    We hope you have a great weekend! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋


    Countywide

    The Fairfax County government will not be imperiling its coveted AAA bond rating despite taking on an estimated $2.26 billion in new debt in coming years, county staff told supervisors this week.

    Despite the reassurance, staff raised concerns at the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ Budget Policy Committee meeting on Tuesday (March 10) that the increasing debt load will put the squeeze on a county budget already facing economic headwinds.


    News

    UpdateGeorge Mason University Police have determined that the bomb threat targeting Fenwick Library was unfounded.

    “Law enforcement conducted an extensive search of the building and no devices were found,” a GMU spokesperson said. “The area has been deemed safe and normal operations may resume.”


    News

    By Tram On and James Jarvis

    Inside a small storefront in Vienna, neatly labeled dispenser bins line the walls. Wooden shelves are laden with bulk containers of everything from hand soap to vinegar, reusable bags to pasta.


    Opinion

    With spring on the horizon, greenery will soon return to yards and gardens across Fairfax County — as will the sounds of workers cultivating those spaces into botanical works of art.

    Here are the nominees for “Best Landscapers in Fairfax County” as part of our FFXnow Readers’ Choice Awards. See your favorite business below? If not, write them in!

    Voting will close in two weeks. Be sure to cast your vote before 8:30 a.m. Friday, March 27.

    Voting for the Best Cleaning Service in Fairfax County is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday, March 20 at 8:30 a.m.

    Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best Home Renovation Firm in Fairfax. The results are now official:

    1. Synergy Design and Construction
    2. Peerless Construction
    3. Ryan Reph Remodeling