A former chair of the Fairfax County School Board’s budget committee will return to the panel after a judge tossed out a complaint accusing him of embezzling $175,000 from a company he was a part owner of.
Kyle McDaniel, who served as the budget committee chair for 10 months before stepping down last April, is expected to be appointed vice chair of the committee when the school board meets tonight (Thursday), according to the meeting agenda.
Though Anytime Fitness is set to close later this spring, the Twinbrooke Shopping Center won’t go without a gym for long.
Expected to open in the Kings Park West strip mall this summer is Pump24, a local gym brand “designed for individuals who take their training seriously and are seeking a higher-quality experience than traditional big-box facilities,” a spokesperson said.
For nearly three decades, one event has united Fort Belvoir’s sprawling community of soldiers, families, retirees and civilian employees like no other: Oktoberfest. This September, the tradition continues — and grows — with the 28th Annual Fort Belvoir Oktoberfest, running September 24–27 at a brand-new location, Pullen Field, 9625 Middleton Road, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Hosted by Fort Belvoir Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR), the four-day festival is the installation’s largest annual event and one of the most beloved in the Northern Virginia military community. Best of all? General admission is free — no tickets required to walk through the gates and enjoy four days of German tradition.
Whether you’re a polka devotee, a carnival enthusiast or simply someone who appreciates a good bratwurst, the schedule has you covered. The fest kicks off Thursday, September 24 (6–10 p.m.) with live performances from the Fritz Polka Band and the Sepp Walzer Fest Band. Friday (4–11 p.m.) brings an expanded lineup, including a captivating performance by the Alt-Washingtonia Schuhplattler Verein, a traditional German folk dance group, alongside more live music and DJ sets.
Saturday (noon–11 p.m.) is the festival’s longest day, featuring a full rotation of performers including Johnny Koenig and Leroy Burks, plus special contests (more on those below). The celebration wraps up on Sunday, September 27 — Military Appreciation Day (noon–8 p.m.) — with a fitting send-off honoring the men and women who make this community what it is. All Active Duty Military and their dependents can purchase a carnival wristband for $27. Must present valid Active Duty Military ID Card for discounted wristband.
Longtime attendees will notice a few exciting additions in 2026. The festival is making its debut at Pullen Field, adjacent to the Bowling Center — a new venue that opens up even more options for a full day out, including bowling and American cuisine for anyone looking for a break from the German revelry.
The crowd-favorite Stein Holding Contest (ages 18+) and Costume Contest (all ages, with Dirndl & Lederhosen and Kinder categories) return on both Saturday and Sunday inside the fest tent. And in a thoughtful new addition, the event will feature a dedicated sensory area for families who need a quieter moment away from the excitement — a small but meaningful touch that reflects MWR’s commitment to serving the whole community.
Authentic German cuisine, specialty food trucks, beer on tap, and Oktoberfest merchandise — including Bavarian mugs, glass boots and traditional hats — round out the experience. Carnival rides are available for a separate ticket fee, purchased on-site.
The event is open to active duty personnel, retirees, civilian federal employees and their guests. Parking is free and in lots surrounding the event. Members of the general public may attend as sponsored guests. Because the festival is held on the installation, all visitors must plan for gate access in advance. Non-DoD ID holders aged 18 and older need a sponsored visitor pass and should submit their applications at least 72 hours before arriving. The Visitor Control Center at Tulley Gate can assist with questions. For access details, visit https://home.army.mil/belvoir/about/installation-access
For the latest updates on food vendors, entertainment and access details, visit belvoir.armymwr.com.
Fort Belvoir Oktoberfest is presented by USAA, with support from Wegmans, Potomac Music, First Command, Brain Treatment Center and Embassy Suites by Hilton, Springfield. Sponsorship does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Army or Fort Belvoir.
War in the Mideast is having an impact on passenger activity at Dulles International Airport.
About two-thirds of flights from Dulles to the broader Middle East region have been cancelled since the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on Feb. 28, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) President and CEO Jack Potter told the authority’s board of directors on March 18.
Fairfax County Public Schools officials are open to a more robust artificial intelligence policy, but a final version is still a few months from being ready for primetime.
Staff have been working since October on a comprehensive policy governing the use of AI, an umbrella term for technology that uses computer systems to handle complex tasks. Artificial intelligence has become colloquially associated with generative tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which are trained on existing text, video and images to produce “new” content.
Event location
Online event (see link)
*Mamistad Groups meet IN PERSON-only the introductory Zoom call is virtual. 🙂
Pregnancy and new mom groups are a lifesaver when it comes to normalizing those feelings we just can’t be prepared for.
When she officially retires next month after 25 years, Cornerstones CEO Kerrie Wilson is confident that she will be leaving the Reston-based social services nonprofit in more-than-capable hands.
With both major projects and a turbulent economic and political climate to manage, the Cornerstones Board of Directors couldn’t have chosen a better successor for her than Shannon Steene, Wilson told FFXnow in an interview earlier this month.
Rebuffing concerns raised by residents on both environmental and transparency grounds, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approved the sale of 41.7 acres of county-owned land in Chantilly for development as a data center.
Without making any comments, the supervisors voted 9-0 on Tuesday (March 17) to sell part of the police department’s training facility at 3721 Stonecroft Blvd to Starwood Capital Group under the name SCG Capital Holdings LLC.
Fairfax County ended 2025 with nearly 20% more residents unable to find work than it started the year.
New figures reported yesterday (Wednesday) by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advance pegged the county’s unemployment rate at 3.3% in December. Though down from 3.8% in November, it was up from 2.7% at the start of the year.
Roof Collapses During House Fire — Yesterday morning (Wednesday), firefighters “responded to reports of a house fire in the 3100 block of Holmes Run Road in West Falls Church. Units arrived with fire engulfing the roof of a two-story single-family home … During operations, there was a partial roof collapse.” One person “was evaluated for non-life-threatening injuries.” [FCFRD/Facebook]
Virginia Joins Tariffs Refund Push — “Attorney General Jay Jones is pressing Congress to force refunds on billions of dollars in tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump, arguing the federal government must quickly repay businesses and consumers after the nation’s highest court struck down the policy.” [Virginia Mercury]
Grad Students Left Out of College Labor Bill — “Service workers like janitors and security guards who work for colleges and universities will be allowed to engage in collective bargaining under a bill lawmakers are sending to the governor. But college professors and graduate students are excluded from the bill.” [WVTF]
Quirky Bills Considered by General Assembly — “Hidden among the more than 3,000 bills filed are a few gems, like ones aimed at taxing porn, studying fungi and more.” Legislation sent by lawmakers to Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger include a ban on livestreaming while driving and a bill that would require movie theaters to show a certain number of films with subtitles or open captioning. [Axios Richmond]
N. Va. Getting First Women’s Sports Bar — “Women’s sports fans could soon have a bar of their own in Arlington. Sarah White, a longtime local restaurateur and partner at Westover Taco, is in the process of buying out of the taqueria at 5849 Washington Blvd.” She plans to turn the establishment into what she says will be Northern Virginia’s first sports bar to center on women’s teams. [ARLnow]
Watch for Roadwork in Fort Belvoir — “The Fort Belvoir community should plan to avoid the intersection of Stonewall Jackson and Gorgas Road from March 23-24 due to construction. Crews will be using heavy equipment to repave the lane divider. The area will be an active construction site with road closures and is off-limits for safety reasons.” [Fort Belvoir/X]
Walkway Proposed on Idylwood Road — “The Fairfax County Department of Public Transportation (FCDOT) will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 7 p.m., to gather public input” on a project to add an asphalt walkway along Idylwood Road from Idylwood Court to Hillside Drive. “Additional feedback will be accepted via an online survey available after the meeting through April 2.” [FCDOT]
When GMU Men’s Basketball Made Final Four — “Twenty years ago, George Mason University’s men’s basketball team defied odds, toppled giants, and created a legacy that continues to reverberate in the college sports world.” After entering the NCAA tournament in 2006 in the at-large No. 11 seed, the Patriots “emerged as the longest-shot ever to reach the vaunted Final Four.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 55 degrees and a gentle south wind at 5 to 7 mph. Thursday night will be partly cloudy with temperatures dropping to around 40 degrees and a light south wind. [NWS]
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Good Wednesday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Mar 18, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Thursday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Expect partly sunny skies today with a high near 54 degrees and a south wind at 7 mph. Tonight will be partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to around 39 degrees and a light south wind. See more from Weather.gov.
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.
