Mark Crutchfield said his son Brandon was a typical teenager with a quick wit, a love for sports and acting and a knack for making others laugh — until he lost his life to a fentanyl overdose Nov. 4, 2022 at 20 years old.
Crutchfield, a Fairfax County resident and licensed counselor working in addiction treatment, said his son was raised on a strong anti-drug message, and he believed his son understood the risks of drug use. But, as the grieving father says, drugs do not discriminate.
Fairfax County police are investigating a single-vehicle crash on New Year’s Eve that turned fatal.
Officers and the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department responded around 8:25 p.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 31) for a crash on Post Forest Drive at Government Center Parkway in the Fair Oaks area.
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With the calendar turning to 2026, local celebrations of America’s 250th birthday will kick into a new gear, leading up to the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s signing on July 4.
For residents looking to stay closer to home instead of venturing into D.C. for this week’s light show at the Washington Monument, the Town of Vienna will launch its own semiquincentennial festivities this Sunday (Jan. 4) with a “patriotic celebration” near the Town Green.
A key Tysons leader is working to ensure state leaders provide dedicated new funding for transit that she says will help the region thrive.
“Transit in Northern Virginia is cool again,” said Katie Cristol, CEO of the Tysons Community Alliance.
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.
Fairfax County officially has a meals tax.
The 4% levy on prepared food and beverages took effect yesterday (Jan. 1), aligning the county with most other Northern Virginia localities that have imposed a 3-5% tax for years.
Some Fairfax County and city voters will head to the polls this weekend to fill a vacancy in the Virginia House of Delegates.
Tomorrow (Saturday) marks the first day of early voting in the 11th House District, which includes Fairfax City, Oakton and Fair Oaks. The seat, formerly held by David Bulova, was vacated last month after he was accepted a job as secretary of natural and historic resources for the administration of Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger.
Fairfax Office Market in Flux — “While uncertainty remains and the Fairfax office market has stayed soft, there are signs of tightening or stabilizing. Demand for Class A and trophy office space remains high as tenants trade up from aging spaces in a ‘flight-to-quality’ trend as they seek new and improved amenities.” [Virginia Business]
Three Injured in Great Falls House Fire — Firefighters responded yesterday (Thursday) morning to “a two-alarm house fire in the 11100 blk Rich Meadow Drive in the Great Falls area. Firefighters arrived on scene with heavy fire showing from the rear of the home extending into the attic … Two civilians and one firefighter were evaluated with non-life-threatening injuries.” [FCFRD/Facebook]
Respiratory Illnesses Rising — “Respiratory illness activity in the Fairfax County Health District has increased to its highest level since February, according to the latest data from the Virginia Department of Health … This year’s flu season is expected to be more serious due to a new Influenza H3N2 mutation known as ‘subclade K,’ which is spreading in North America.” [Patch]
AG Looks to Settle Tuition Aid Lawsuit — “Outgoing Attorney General Jason Miyares is facing some pushback after he chose to enter into an agreement with the Trump administration rather than take its lawsuit … to court. In a Dec. 31 joint press release, the Legal Aid Justice Center, the ACLU of Virginia and the Dream Project announced that they had filed an emergency motion to intervene in a federal lawsuit that took aim at both undocumented and refugee students in Virginia.” [WRIC]
Health Centers Sue State — “Fifteen Virginia health centers on Tuesday announced they are suing the state government, claiming it has violated state and federal law through underpayments on Medicaid reimbursements. The collection of medical providers are designated as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), a type of nonprofit health clinics that are federally funded.” [Virginia Mercury]
Lawmakers to Consider AI Use in Education — “Moore’s experience with AI may help inform Virginia legislators as they head back to Richmond for the 2026 legislative session in mid-January. While details on legislation are still being parsed out, Roanoke Democratic Delegate Sam Rasoul, who chairs the House Education Committee, thinks any future regulations” will focus on children’s safety and emotional development as well as whether the technology actually helps them learn. [WVTF]
McLean Restaurant Featured on TV — “‘Signature Dish,’ the WETA PBS show highlighting the DMV’s diverse food landscape, kicks off its fourth season on Monday by visiting a McLean restaurant that specializes in serving new interpretations of American classics. Host Seth Tillman joins celebrity Chef David Guas for brunch at Neutral Ground Bar + Kitchen, which is located at 6641 Old Dominion Drive.” [Patch]
Fairfax Library’s Top Reads of 2025 — Fairfax County Public Library recently released its lists of the most in-demand digital and print books for 2025. The library system also surpassed 4 million digital checkouts in a single calendar year for the first time on Dec. 22, a milestone met by only 29 libraries that use the digital catalog Libby by OverDrive in 2024. [FCPL]
Metro Silver Line Service Changes — Track work will disrupt some Metro service this weekend (Jan. 3-4), including on the Silver line. “Trains single track between McPherson Sq and Foggy Bottom. Trains run every 15 minutes between Ashburn and Clarendon. No Silver Line service in DC or Maryland.” [WMATA]
It’s Friday — The weather will transition from mostly cloudy to sunny, reaching a high of around 41 degrees. In the afternoon, calm winds will shift northwest at approximately 6 mph. At night, expect mostly cloudy skies and a low temperature around 26 degrees. [NWS]
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 — Dec 31, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Thursday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
An error occurred with the forecast; please add the information manually to ensure accuracy and up-to-date weather details. 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.
Before entering a new year, FFXnow took a look back on some of the stories that defined the past 12 months in Fairfax County.
A review of our most-read stories for 2025 suggests local impacts of federal government actions — specifically, the Trump administration’s mass layoffs and bid to move the Discovery space shuttle out of Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly — were top concerns.
