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.


News

Another measles case has been detected in Fairfax County, this time in the Lorton area.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, an adult who recently traveled abroad has been diagnosed with measles after visiting a local grocery store and two Inova facilities, potentially exposing other people.


Countywide
Water flowing in Wolftrap Creek as snow melts (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Town Halls Planned on Explosion — “Fairfax County will host two town hall meetings on Tuesday, Feb. 17, for residents affected by the ongoing fire-related incident in the Centreville area. These meetings are an opportunity for community members to receive the latest updates, ask questions and hear directly from county officials.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]

Senate Passes Fairfax County Casino Bill — “A proposal to bring a casino and entertainment district to Northern Virginia passed the state’s senate Friday, even as some Fairfax County leaders and residents criticized the idea. After a 23-14 vote, the measure will now head to the Virginia House of Delegates.” [WTOP]

Faith-Based Affordable Housing Legislation Passed — “The Senate voted 21-18 on Wednesday [Feb. 11] to pass state Sen. Jeremy McPike (D-29)’s SB 388, which would eliminate the rezoning step for faith-based organizations and other tax-exempt nonprofits to develop affordable housing on their properties. The legislation might still need final approval in the House next year, however.” [ARLnow]

Reproductive Freedom Amendment Set for Ballot — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee reproductive freedom in Virginia’s Constitution, clearing the final step before the measure heads to voters in November.” The amendment wouldn’t expand access to abortion beyond what’s currently legal, but enshrining reproductive freedom in the state’s bill of rights would make it harder to change the law in the future. [WHRO]

State Police Helped With ICE Detentions — “Virginia State Police (VSP) aided federal immigration agents in apprehending nearly 200 people between February 2025 and February of this year, when Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) ended the 287(g) agreements established under her Republican predecessor … Per a VSP spokesperson, a total of 60 of the agency’s employees were given credentials under its” agreement. [WRIC]

Police Traffic Stops Rise in Virginia — “Law enforcement officers conducted more than 1.24 million stops last year, a 7% increase from 2024, according to new data from the Virginia State Police … In raw numbers, Fairfax County recorded the highest number of stops last year, with more than 117,000 encounters, a reflection of its large population and proximity to Washington, D.C.” [Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism]

HIV Program Funding Uncertain — “The Virginia Department of Health has not yet developed a clear plan for how to manage lost services that provide wraparound care for the state’s most vulnerable residents with HIV, the state epidemiologist said Friday. Late last year, the department significantly reduced funding for” a federal program that provides medical services “for low-income residents living with HIV.” [Cardinal News]

Local Firefighter Dies After Illness — “With deep sadness, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department announces the death of Firefighter Brandon Winfield on Thursday, February 12, 2026, following a brief illness.” The fire department’s honor guard transported Winfield’s body to a funeral home during a ceremony yesterday (Monday). [FCFRD]

Franconia District Office Moving — “The process of moving the Franconia District Supervisor’s office from 6121 Franconia Road to its new location at 7130 Silver Lake Blvd has begun. Staff from my office and I will continuously serve you remotely … Unfortunately, walk-in services and community room use will not be available beginning Tuesday, February 17, 2026, through Sunday, March 15.” [The Lusk Report]

It’s Tuesday — Expect patchy fog to clear by 8am, giving way to partly sunny skies and a high near 55 with light southwest winds. As for Tuesday night, it’ll turn cloudy with a low around 43. The calm wind will gradually pick up from the south at around 5 mph after midnight. [NWS]

Want more local news? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow, with the latest from across the region.


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.


News

Dozens of Centreville residents are still unable to return home almost a day after a fiery explosion possibly fueled by a natural gas leak rocked their neighborhood.

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department responded around 9:48 p.m. yesterday (Sunday) to the 14300 block of Quail Pond Court in the Belle Pond Farm neighborhood after receiving multiple calls about “a loud explosion.”


Event

Dreaming about your next vacation? Join Cruise Planners Beth Borrego and Rod Rodriguez for an inspiring day devoted to ocean and river cruises, guided tours, luxury travel and unforgettable destinations!

Meet representatives from AmaWaterways, Collette, Oceania Cruises and Premier World Discovery. Hear informative presentations, ask questions, explore exciting vacation possibilities and discover which travel experience may be the perfect fit for you.


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 — Feb 13, 2026.

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

  • Fairfax County leaders pledge more outreach after rare panhandling survey (6992 views)
  • JCPenney to exit Springfield Town Center after 53 years (6943 views)
  • Fairfax supervisors back DCA flight-path changes to ease noise over neighborhoods (5778 views)
  • UPDATED: Driver injured after crashing onto Metro tracks in Dunn Loring (5768 views)
  • JUST IN: Fairfax’s Ilia Malinin secures US figure skating team gold at Milan Cortina Olympics (5497 views)
  • Developer seeks to replace former Fannie Mae office in Reston with more townhomes (4832 views)
  • Fairfax County casino bill heads to full Senate without site limits (4591 views)
  • Fairfax County might consolidate ‘placemaking’ groups to reduce costs (4507 views)
  • Secondhand retailer to repurpose former adult entertainment store in Springfield (4463 views)
  • NEW: Vienna bookshop Bards Alley to move after owner buys nearby building (4115 views)
  • New shop brings gourmet nuts and sweets to Reston, eyes Herndon expansion (2905 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 sunny conditions with a high around 53 and southwest winds at 5 to 8 mph. Saturday night will become mostly cloudy, and the temperature will drop to a low of around 32, accompanied by calm winds. 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. 👋


    News

    A pedestrian suffered critical injuries in a crash that occurred this evening (Friday) in the heart of downtown McLean.

    Police and units with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were dispatched around 6:10 p.m. to the intersection of Old Dominion Drive and Beverly Road for the crash, according to scanner traffic.


    News

    Figure skaters and their families from across the D.C. region gathered today (Friday) at Reston’s SkateQuest to watch their homegrown phenom pursue gold and, possibly, history an ocean and continent away at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.

    In minutes, however, that vision fell apart as Vienna resident Ilia Malinin missed the Olympic podium entirely after a disastrous free skate where he fell twice, finishing in eighth place with 264.49 points.


    Countywide

    By DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press

    Virginia voters will get to cast ballots on a congressional redistricting plan benefiting Democrats while a court battle plays out over the legality of the effort.


    News

    A Herndon family’s au pair who engaged in an affair with her employer before aiding a plot to murder his wife and another man has received the maximum sentence for her role in the killings.

    Juliana Peres Magalhaes was sentenced to 10 years in prison today (Friday) — the maximum sentence allowed for the charge of manslaughter under state law. The 25-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to the lesser charge in exchange for her testimony against co-conspirator Brendan Banfield.


    Announcement

    Reston Children’s Center announces that it is continuing to be a sponsor of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Reston Children’s Center has been part of the CACFP program since 1995.

    The same meals will be available at no separate charge to all participants at each CACFP facility without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.